Ministry of Science and ICT and Defense Acquisition Program Administration hold Compound Semiconductor Symbiosis Fab Forum… Gathering Input from Industry, Academia, and Research

A forum will be held where relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, along with experts from industry, academia, and research institutions, gather to discuss the technological self-reliance and supply chain stabilization of compound semiconductors for defense applications. This forum is planned with the purpose of sharing strategies for investment-based R&D and cooperation frameworks for the self-sufficiency of compound semiconductors for defense, as well as sharing the needs of industry, academia, research, and government, along with policy and technical challenges ¹².

This article outlines the specific objectives and industry-academia-research cooperation structure of the Compound Semiconductor R&D Mutual Prosperity Fab Construction Forum to be held on October 30, 2026, and summarizes the key discussions surrounding it.

Overview of the Hosting and Purpose of the Compound Semiconductor R&D Mutual Prosperity Fab Forum

The Compound Semiconductor R&D Mutual Prosperity Fab Construction Forum will be held on Friday, October 30, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Grace Hall on the 6th floor of L-Tower in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul ¹². This event is hosted by the Korea Nano Technology Institute (KANC) and organized by the Compound Semiconductor Technology Council, with the official notice registration date being October 15, 2026 ¹. Representatives from relevant organizations such as the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, along with experts from industry, academia, and research institutions, will participate in the forum to discuss current issues in the compound semiconductor industry for defense ¹².

The purpose of the forum is to share the needs of industry, academia, research, and government, along with policy and technical challenges, and to establish strategies and cooperative frameworks for investment-based R&D, aiming to achieve self-sufficiency and supply chain stabilization for compound semiconductors for defense ¹². Through this, the forum seeks to enhance the self-reliance of compound semiconductor technologies essential for national defense strengthening and to build a cooperation model to prepare for global supply chain risks ¹².

Gathering Field Opinions from Industry, Academia, and Research and Building Cooperation Frameworks

A core element of this forum is gathering opinions from the field across industry, academia, and research to build practical cooperation frameworks. Developing semiconductor technologies for defense requires expertise across various fields, necessitating tight coordination between foundational research at universities, mass production and demonstration by companies, and support from research institutions and policy ministries. This forum serves as a channel for industry, academia, research, and government to share field requirements and technical challenges they individually face ¹.

The forum will focus on discussing strategies and cooperation frameworks for 'investment-based R&D' based on these field opinions ¹². Investment-based R&D refers to a direction that builds infrastructure for the industrial ecosystem on the concept of mutual prosperity by reflecting commercialization and investment perspectives from the research and development stages onwards.

The target audience for participation includes member companies related to compound semiconductors and individuals working in related industries ¹². The Korea Nano Technology Institute, as the host, emphasizes that close cooperation among industry, academia, research, and government is essential for strengthening the technological self-reliance of the defense industry, and encourages participation from relevant industry stakeholders ¹².

Trends in Self-Sufficiency for Defense Semiconductors and Investment-Based R&D

Core component technologies for compound semiconductors, which are essential in the process of strengthening national defense capabilities, are facing uncertainty due to global supply chains. If these core technologies and infrastructures rely on external sources, geopolitical factors such as supply chain disruptions can impact the maintenance of defense capabilities. Against this backdrop, this forum is a venue for discussing technology self-sufficiency and stable supply chain construction for compound semiconductors for defense as key challenges ¹².

The needs of industry, academia, research, and government, along with the policy and technical challenges discussed at this forum, are expected to serve as foundational data for future cooperation frameworks aimed at the self-sufficiency of defense semiconductors.

Forum Participation Procedure and Schedule

The forum will operate on a half-day schedule (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) ¹². Those wishing to attend can apply by scanning the QR code listed on the poster or through the provided online link (https://m.site.naver.com/2gpkU) ¹².

The application procedure and schedule are as follows.

• Application Deadline: Until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 ¹²
• Eligible Participants: Industry professionals and member companies, among others ¹²

The Compound Semiconductor R&D Mutual Prosperity Fab Construction Forum is expected to be a venue that concretizes strategies for investment-based R&D within the defense semiconductor technology ecosystem, based on shared technical challenges and cooperation frameworks among industry, academia, research, and government ¹².