South Korea's exports to the US and China tumbled by more than 8% in May, reflecting growing pressures from global trade tensions and supply chain realignments. Despite the broader slump, the country posted record-breaking semiconductor exports for the month, offering a rare bright spot amid mounting economic uncertainties

South Korea's leadership in DRAM, NAND, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is becoming a strategic liability amid rising US-China friction. With SK Hynix and Samsung holding a combined 70% of DRAM and more than half the NAND market, the country anchors a supply chain vital for AI training and HPC workloads. A single disruption could trigger global price shocks and shortages, particularly in AI computing and mobile devices

China's semiconductor sector is reeling from reports that Siemens EDA has been instructed by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to suspend all EDA-related services and support in China. The move may expand to include Synopsys and Cadence, effectively cutting off all three global EDA giants. The ban reportedly encompasses not only software access but also platform-integrated IP, signaling a broader and more aggressive crackdown than previously anticipated