As the world races into the AI era, semiconductor investment has become a matter of national strategy. Governments across major economies are pouring vast resources into chip manufacturing, viewing it as critical to economic and technological sovereignty.

Korea, however, remains mired in political debates over “large company favoritism,” leaving key policy initiatives such as the Semiconductor Special Act, working-hour flexibility, and easing of financial-industrial ownership separation stalled.

Micron Technology, the world’s third-largest memory chipmaker, plans to invest up to $100 billion over the next 20 years to build four mega fabs in Clay, New york, aiming to shift global memory production from Asia to the U.S.

with additional investments of $15 billion in Idaho and $10 billion in Hiroshima, Japan, the firm benefits from $6.1 billion in U.S. government subsidies for domestic manufacturing. Japan, too, has made bold moves.

Rapidus – a government-backed consortium including Toyota, Sony, NTT, SoftBank, Mitsubishi UFJ, and Kioxia – is targeting mass production of 2-nanometer logic chips by 2027. Backed by 2.9 trillion yen ($18.44 billion) in state funding, Tokyo has even amended laws to guarantee loans and interest payments for the company, a rare step toward industrial sovereignty.