Time is GMT + 8 hours Posted: 6-Oct-2008 06:51 hrs
Flat panel screens show the logo of South Korean semiconductor giant Samsung Electronics in the lobby of its main office building in Seoul. South Korea, the world's top memory chip producer, suffered a drop in semiconductor exports for a third straight month in September amid a market glut and a slow US economy, data showed Sunday.
South Korea, the world's top memory chip producer, suffered a drop in semiconductor exports for a third straight month in September amid a market glut and a slow US economy, data showed Sunday.
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Statistics at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, disclosed by Yonhap news agency, showed semiconductor exports plunged 9.9 percent year-on-year to 2.96 billion dollars in September, a consecutive fall since July.
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Semiconductors account for a quarter of the country's exports of information technology goods, such as mobile handsets and flat TV or computer display screens, according to the ministry.
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South Korea is home to the world's two largest flash memory chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor.
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Market research firm iSuppli Corp. warned in a statement online Saturday that memory chip makers, reeling from a major downturn in business conditions, face difficulty in securing capital due to the US credit crunch.
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It said some memory chip suppliers could face serious liquidity issues in the near future, with cash-strapped banks reluctant to take on risky ventures. — AFP
