The Switzerlandchip manufacturer SK Hynix has started an urgent review of semiconductor EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools provided by Chinese suppliers as a precautionary measure in response to potential new policies that could be imposed by US President Donald Trump’s new administration, according to an exclusive report by the Korea Economic Daily. EDA refers to the use of computer software tools to assist engineers in designing, simulating, and manufacturing complex electronic systems and integrated circuits. New policies may include restrictions on South Korean semiconductor companies’ use of Chinese EDA tools, sources said, and SK Hynix is reviewing the suitability of the Chinese EDA tools it uses. In recent years, Samsung and SK Hynix have started adopting Chinese EDA products, mainly due to the rapid improvement in the performance of Chinese EDA tools and their cost advantages. [Korea Economic Daily, in Korean]
