CORÉE DU SUD PERSPECTIVE

The South Korean press observes India's semiconductor ambitions with protective techno-nationalism. The Chosun Ilbo notes India targets display driver ICs (DDICs), a segment where Samsung and SK Hynix are not directly threatened—Korean supremacy lies in DRAM and NAND memory. However, the JoongAng Ilbo warns that India's growing ecosystem could eventually divert investments that would otherwise go to South Korea.

The Hankyoreh offers a more cooperative angle, recalling that Samsung already has a smartphone factory in Noida (UP) and that India's expanding semiconductor ecosystem could benefit Korean suppliers. KBS highlights the geopolitical dimension: South Korea, caught between US pressure and the Chinese market, could find India a welcome diversification partner.

Resentment toward Japan surfaces in coverage: Korean media note that Tokyo Electron and other Japanese equipment makers are already in discussions with India, fearing Japan may gain a relational advantage. Competition among Korea, Japan and Taiwan for access to the emerging Indian market is an underlying theme structuring coverage.