Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Axcelis Technologies, a U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer, held a groundbreaking ceremony on October 20, 2026, to expand its Axcelis Asia Operations Center (AAOC) at the Oseong Industrial Complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. AAOC is the company’s only manufacturing facility outside the United States. The investment will substantially increase AAOC’s annual production capacity for ion implantation equipment and is expected to help strengthen Korea’s semiconductor supply chain.

Axcelis Technologies is a globally competitive company in ion implantation, a key process in semiconductor manufacturing. Since its establishment in 2021, AAOC has supplied ion implantation equipment to Korean customers, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, and exported it directly to other Asia-Pacific countries, including China, Japan and Singapore.

With this expansion, Axcelis is following through on the investment plan it announced in September 2026 at an investment declaration ceremony chaired by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) in the United States on the occasion of the G20 Innovation Ministers’ Meeting. Axcelis plans to develop AAOC from a site focused primarily on manufacturing into a comprehensive center encompassing research and development (R&D), prototype production and technical training, making it a key hub for the Asia-Pacific region. With these expanded capabilities, AAOC is expected to meet equipment demand from Korean and overseas companies more promptly and reliably, while actively contributing to greater cooperation with Korean materials, parts and equipment (MPE) companies and the development of skilled professionals through technical training.

The ceremony was attended by around 60 participants, including Axcelis Technologies President and CEO Russell Low and Axcelis Korea Country Manager James Park; government officials including Kang Gam-chan, Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment at MOTIR, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Won-yong; and representatives from Korean customers and partner companies.

“Axcelis’ investment is significant in that it demonstrates the company’s confidence in Korea’s semiconductor industry,” Deputy Minister Kang said in his congratulatory remarks. He expressed hope that the AAOC expansion would further strengthen Korea’s semiconductor supply chain and help Axcelis take its business to the next level. “The Korean government will also work closely with Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek to address challenges on the ground and help the investment proceed smoothly,” he added.