South Korea's optoelectronics industry once grew rapidly with Gwangju as its center, but growth slowed under competition from China. The National Assembly of South Korea recently held a forum to discuss the current state of the photonics market, including opportunities and challenges for Gwangju, which was once a major photonics hub. As optical technologies become core infrastructure supporting AI, cloud computing, and autonomous driving, South Korea's industry is calling for Gwangju to make a transformative integration.

Memory chip manufacturers Winbond Electronics and Transcend Information posted significant profit increases in late 2025, driven by heightened demand and ongoing supply constraints in the memory sector. Both companies recorded record revenues and raised capex to expand production capabilities.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are set to join a US-led initiative to secure artificial intelligence and semiconductor supply chains, expanding a framework Washington views as a cornerstone of its economic security strategy.

At CES 2026, chipmakers remained at the center of attention. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and AMD CEO Lisa Su both delivered keynote speeches, while Lenovo hosted a major event at the Sphere, bringing together Intel, AMD, Nvidia, and Qualcomm to showcase their PC processor strategies.

Distribution giant Synnex Technology International Corp. posted robust revenue growth in December 2025, benefiting from rising memory prices and increased demand for AI server applications. The company's consolidated revenue for the month reached NT$47.025 billion (approx. US$1.49 billion), up 13.6% from November and 13.8% year-over-year.

Taiwanese semiconductor firm Etron Technology is presenting its MemorAiLink platform at the CES 2026 event in the US, integrating technologies from multiple subsidiaries. The company's innovation spans diverse AI applications, including drones and robotic dogs, demonstrating its broad industry footprint.

Samsung Electronics has reclaimed its position as the world's leading DRAM supplier in the fourth quarter of 2025, reporting record revenue of KRW27.7 trillion (US$19.2 billion) in the segment. The company's overall revenue reached a quarterly high of KRW93 trillion, with operating profit hitting KRW20 trillion, supported primarily by strong memory sales.

South Korea is stepping up policy support for next-generation power semiconductors as part of a broader push to strengthen domestic chip manufacturing and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers, with local foundries accelerating the commercialization of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices.

India's semiconductor ambitions are beginning to extend beyond fabrication and conventional packaging into secure chip personalization and cryptographic control, as Kaynes Semicon and SEALSQ detailed the roadmap for their newly approved joint venture (JV).

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories of the first full week of 2026: January 5-11.