South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Tuesday that the government will simplify import procedures for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment. EUV is a critical tool in semiconductor manufacturing, and this move is designed to help the nation's thriving chip industry maintain its manufacturing competitiveness.

According to revised enforcement rules for the High-Pressure Gas Safety Management Act, approved by the South Korean cabinet, the import timeline for EUV equipment is expected to be reduced from the current 34 days to approximately 9 days.

The ministry stated that this revision will assist domestic chip manufacturers, such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, in acquiring EUV equipment more rapidly, which is essential for establishing advanced production facilities.