The Strategist
The Strategist

FT: US asks South Korea not to fill chip shortages in China if sanctions are imposed on Micron



04/24/2023 - 03:18



According to sources quoted by the Financial Times (FT), the White House has requested South Korea to ask chip makers not to supply shortages in the Chinese market if the latter puts a ban on US Micron products. The request was made prior to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's trip to Washington. 25% of Micron's sales came from China in 2022.



Mike Deal
Mike Deal
The newspaper's sources claim that US officials have requested South Korean authorities to ask that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix refrain from increasing their sales to China. This is the first instance in which the US has "asked an ally to engage its companies to play their part," according to the Financial Times.

Requests for comment from Samsung and the South Korean embassy went unanswered. Authorities in Seoul had not made any requests, according to SK Hynix. Micron opted not to respond. 

The White House told the newspaper that Washington and Seoul had made "historic progress" in their increased cooperation on issues of economic and national security, including initiatives to safeguard "cutting-edge technology".

source: ft.com