President Yoon Suk-yeol is set to make a state visit to the Netherlands from Dec. 11 to 14, spanning four days and three nights.
This marks the first state visit to the Netherlands by a Korean president since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1961. During this visit, President Yoon is scheduled to visit the headquarters of ASML, the world’s leading semiconductor equipment company, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the semiconductor supply chain.
The strong bond between South Korea and the Netherlands is attributed to the close relationship between Samsung and ASML. ASML holds an effective monopoly in producing and supplying extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are essential for advanced semiconductor processing. Samsung Electronics has previously acquired 3% of ASML’s shares to ensure a stable supply of this equipment.
Recently, Samsung managed to secure several trillion won by selling a portion of its stake in ASML, as the EUV supply crisis has somewhat settled and ASML’s value has significantly increased.
President Yoon Suk-yeol plans to visit the ASML headquarters in Veldhoven with King Willem accompanied by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Chairman Chey Tae-won.