Xi Jinping's Determination: Semiconductor Heart Theory—Will a Crisis Hit Samsung Electronics (005930.KS)? / Japan's Counterattack: China's Semiconductors Face an All-Stop Crisis | Director Jeon Byeong-seo

시진핑의 결심.. 반도체 심장론, 삼성전자에 위기 닥칠까? / 일본의 반격.. 중국 반도체, 올 스톱 위기 빠졌다 | 전병서 소장
Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 17, 2026 at 07:00  |  22:15  |  815 Money Talk (815머니톡)
Speakers
Jeon Byeong-seo — Director
Park Geun-hyung — Director

Summary

Jeon Byeong-seo, Director of the China Economic and Financial Research Institute, discusses China-Japan-Korea diplomacy and the semiconductor supply chain. He argues China is mobilizing state resources to localize advanced chips, creating a fast-moving threat to Korean and Taiwanese semiconductor leadership. He also highlights critical chokepoints in EUV/lithography equipment and Japanese photoresist, plus Korea's supply-chain and talent-retention vulnerabilities.

  • China treats Korea as a usable balancing country while viewing Japan as hostile.
  • Full lifting of Korean-content restrictions is seen as unlikely due to Chinese political concerns.
  • Xi Jinping's 'correct choice' language is interpreted as a veiled warning to Korea.
  • China has elevated semiconductors to a national 'heart' and is localizing chips, equipment, and materials.
  • U.S. export controls on advanced lithography created a critical bottleneck for China's chip progress.
  • Japan's photoresist dominance is a key chokepoint and strategic weapon in the China-Japan conflict.
  • Korea faces supply-chain and engineer-retention risks as China catches up.
  • Speakers warn investors not to chase semiconductor euphoria blindly.
Ideas
Jeon Byeong-seo Director 9:40
China mobilizes state resources for chip localization.
After U.S. sanctions, Xi Jinping elevated semiconductors to the 'heart' of the nation and launched a national mobilization to localize advanced chips. China has already made 7nm chips without EUV and is testing 5nm, while progressing in AI chips, memory, and 28nm equipment. This state-led effort is faster than expected and creates a powerful investable theme in China's semiconductor supply chain, even as it threatens incumbent producers.
China semiconductor stocks HIGH
Jeon Byeong-seo Director 10:31
Korea/Taiwan chip stocks face China risks.
Korea and Taiwan are currently ahead in advanced semiconductors, but China's nationwide effort to localize chips, equipment, and materials is progressing faster than expected. If China succeeds in localizing semiconductor equipment, Korea and Taiwan become the biggest victims. Semiconductors require at least six countries, and Korea sources about 40% of semiconductor gases from China, so any supply-chain disruption could quickly wipe out the 100–200 trillion won profit boom. Talent leakage is another long-term risk: retired Korean engineers carry embedded know-how to China, and Korea must reform compensation to retain young talent.
Korean semiconductor stocks Taiwan semiconductor stocks HIGH
Jeon Byeong-seo Director 11:07
China's chip gap drives semiconductor supercycle.
The current semiconductor boom is ironically driven by China's deficiency in advanced chips, which forces China to buy and has created a supercycle. However, if China's state-led localization succeeds and it covers more of its own supply, semiconductor supply and demand can rebalance quickly, and the current upcycle could reverse. The key variable is how fast China catches up, not whether Korea and the US are currently ahead.
SMH HIGH
Jeon Byeong-seo Director 12:38
Chip equipment and photoresist are chokepoints.
Advanced semiconductor production depends on a few critical bottlenecks. EUV/lithography equipment is the most important process, and U.S./Netherlands export controls block China from 7nm and below. High-end photoresist is 90–100% controlled by Japan, and without it even EUV tools cannot make advanced chips. These chokepoints are China's Achilles heel and give equipment and materials suppliers structural geopolitical leverage.
EUV/lithography equipment Photoresist HIGH
Up Next
53:28
이거 뚫리면 시흥은 폭발할 것입니다 | 김시덕 도시문헌학자 [주말인터뷰]
3PRO TV (삼프로TV) · Jan 17
1:05:47
Is Bitcoin on the Way Back to $100,000? | REKT Vision (January 16, 2025)
Real Vision · Jan 17
17:08
글로벌 공급망의 수호자 | THE NEW ERA
3PRO TV (삼프로TV) · Jan 17
2:28
Solar Energy Drives Transformation in Nigeria
Bloomberg Markets · Jan 17
31:55
Why Polygon Is Pivoting to Payments and What It Means for POL
Unchained (Chopping Block) · Jan 17

This 815 Money Talk (815머니톡) video, published January 17, 2026, features Jeon Byeong-seo discussing China semiconductor stocks, Korean semiconductor stocks, Taiwan semiconductor stocks, SMH, EUV/lithography equipment, Photoresist. 4 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Jeon Byeong-seo  · Tickers: China semiconductor stocks, Korean semiconductor stocks, Taiwan semiconductor stocks, SMH, EUV/lithography equipment, Photoresist