[Provided by Daegu city government]
[Provided by Daegu city government]

Daegu city government signed an investment agreement Thursday with semiconductor test equipment maker TSE, Kyungpook National University and Keimyung University to establish a "Semiconductor Test Design Center" at the Sangyeok annex of Daegu City Hall.

Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho attended the signing ceremony alongside TSE Chairman Kwon Sang-jun, Kyungpook National University President Heo Young-woo and Keimyung University President Shin Il-hee.

TSE is South Korea's top semiconductor test equipment design and manufacturing company, supplying critical test components to global tech and foundry giants including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Micron, AMD, Intel and TSMC.

The center plans to invest 30 billion won ($21.9 million) in state-of-the-art design equipment and other facilities by 2030, while hiring 150 new research and development staff.

TSE founder Chairman Kwon graduated from Kyungpook National University's department of electronic engineering and launched the company in Cheonan in 1994, building it into a mid-sized global firm with a market cap approaching 3 trillion won.

Daegu city will provide comprehensive support for TSE's establishment in the city, including securing office space, assisting with recruitment and facilitating industry-academia partnerships with local universities.

Under the agreement, Kyungpook National University and Keimyung University will support TSE's business expansion through industry-academia cooperation, including developing tailored workforce training programs and employment-linked curricula.

"Through this investment, we will overcome the talent shortage caused by overconcentration in the greater Seoul area and, at the same time, develop Daegu into a key hub for semiconductor test design to strengthen our competitiveness in the global market," Kwon said.

"We will spare no administrative or policy support to help young people who studied semiconductors in Daegu settle in their hometown and grow into world-class design experts," Mayor Choo said.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com