--- title: "South Korea Lands $2 Billion From 4 US Companies as Trump Turns Up Pressure on Foreign Chipmakers: GLW, APD, ACLS Among Stocks in Focus" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/298015897.md" description: "Four U.S. companies—Air Products, Axcelis Technologies, Corning, and Pacifico Energy—have filed investment reports totaling $2 billion for semiconductor, advanced materials, and clean energy projects in South Korea. This announcement coincides with potential new U.S. semiconductor tariffs under the Trump administration, which may link tariff relief to foreign investment levels. The move highlights strengthening Korea-U.S. industrial cooperation amid a surge in South Korean semiconductor exports driven by AI demand." datetime: "2026-09-04T08:35:14.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/298015897.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298015897.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/298015897.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # South Korea Lands $2 Billion From 4 US Companies as Trump Turns Up Pressure on Foreign Chipmakers: GLW, APD, ACLS Among Stocks in Focus Four U.S. companies filed investment reports totaling $2 billion for projects in South Korea’s semiconductor, advanced materials, and clean energy sectors, the country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Friday. ## **The Companies Behind the Investment** **Air Products and Chemicals Inc.** (NYSE:APD) is expanding its semiconductor gas facilities in Pyeongtaek, its largest project since entering Korea. **Axcelis Technologies Inc.** (NASDAQ:ACLS) will expand its Korean ion implanter facility to serve as an Asia-Pacific export hub, while **Corning Inc.** (NYSE:GLW) will expand advanced materials manufacturing for next-generation devices and semiconductors. **Pacifico Energy** will move forward with a 3.2-gigawatt offshore wind farm in South Jeolla Province. “The protagonists who will advance Korea-U.S. industrial cooperation in the future are none other than you, the business leaders,” the country’s trade, industry, and resources Minister **Kim Jeong-kwan** told the companies at a roundtable in Washington following the announcement. **Read Also: Chuck Schumer Slams Trump’s Plan to Strip Tax Breaks From ‘Discriminatory’ Private Schools: ‘Assault on American Education’** ## **Trump Is Weighing New Semiconductor Tariffs** The investment announcement comes as President **Donald Trump**‘s administration is reportedly considering a new round of semiconductor tariffs that could extend beyond raw chips to finished electronics, including laptops and data center servers, according to a Politico report. Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick** has floated tying tariff relief for foreign companies to their level of investment in U.S. chip production. ## **Part of a Broader AI-Driven Trade Surge** South Korea’s exports to the U.S. rose 89.3% year-over-year in August to $16.5 billion, led by triple-digit growth in semiconductors and computers, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Overall, semiconductor exports climbed 209% to a record $46.65 billion, topping $40 billion for a third straight month, driven by demand for AI infrastructure from hyperscalers including **Alphabet Inc.**‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google and **Amazon.Com, Inc.** (NASDAQ:AMZN). South Korea’s memory chipmakers have become central to the AI buildout, with **Samsung Electronics** and **SK Hynix Inc.** (NASDAQ:SKHY) controlling more than 95% of global DRAM output, along with Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU). According to **Benzinga Edge rankings**, Air Product’s stock has a Momentum score in the 53rd percentile and a Growth score in the 12th percentile. **Read Also: eHealth (EHTH) Stock Climbs Over 8% After Hours: Here's Why** ***Disclaimer*:** *This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors*. *Photo courtesy: Shutterstock* ### Related Stocks - [APD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/APD.US.md) - [ACLS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ACLS.US.md) - [GLW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GLW.US.md) - [EWY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/EWY.US.md) - [03121.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/03121.HK.md) - [GOOG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOG.US.md) - [GOOGL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOGL.US.md) - [AMZN.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMZN.US.md) - [SSNGY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SSNGY.US.md) - [SKHY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKHY.US.md) - [MU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MU.US.md) - [EHTH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/EHTH.US.md) - [SMSN.UK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SMSN.UK.md) ## Related News & Research - [South Korea says US companies to invest $2 billion in chip, energy sectors](https://longbridge.com/en/news/297964732.md) - [South Korea says chip investments under discussion with US amid tariff concerns](https://longbridge.com/en/news/297989134.md) - [Samsung Anchors South Korea's Record 821 Trillion Won AI Budget Push](https://longbridge.com/en/news/297692258.md) - [Dongjin Semichem Ends Treasury Share Trust After Completing KRW 10 Billion Buyback](https://longbridge.com/en/news/297452873.md) - [Old Mission Investment Co LLC Invests $1.65 Million in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298108879.md) --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**