SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea added high-performance AI chips and advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to its strategic export control list Tuesday, requiring exporters to obtain government approval before shipping the items overseas.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said the revised Public Notice on Strategic Goods Export and Import took effect the same day.
The revision reflects more than 80 changes agreed under four international export control regimes, the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Australia Group, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime.
The ministry said the changes come as international export controls increasingly focus on advanced dual-use items that can serve both civilian and military purposes.
Newly listed items include high-performance AI chips and certain semiconductor lithography, etching and deposition equipment.
Nucleic acid synthesizers were also added to the list of items subject to tighter control.
Exporters seeking to ship the newly listed strategic goods must obtain export approval from the ministry.
The revision also eased or clarified rules for some items.
For high-energy secondary batteries, the control threshold was raised from more than 350 watt-hours per kilogram to more than 500 watt-hours per kilogram at 20 C.
Rules on botulinum neurotoxins were also clarified.
The ministry removed the exporter pledge form from the documents required for strategic goods export approval.
Other forms, including applications for strategic goods classification, bulk export approval and end-user undertakings, were revised to clarify wording and instructions.
The ministry said it will brief industry groups on the changes and continue consultations through an export control help desk operated by the Korea Security Agency of Trade and Industry.
AJP Takeaways
· Korea added high-performance AI chips and advanced chipmaking equipment to its strategic export control list.
· Exporters of newly listed items must obtain ministry approval from Sept. 1.
· The revision reflects more than 80 updates from four international export control regimes.
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