JSR has completed a new semiconductor materials plant in Ochang, in the South Korean city of Cheongju, intended to produce metal oxide resists (MOR) used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography processes. The facility, operated by its subsidiary JSR Micro Korea, finished construction on September 30, 2026, and will carry out the final production stage of this advanced chipmaking material in South Korea.
JSR’s new South Korean plant in 20 seconds
- The facility is located in the Ochang foreign investment zone, in Cheongju.
- It is JSR’s first production base dedicated to MOR resists for EUV lithography.
- The material offers greater etch resistance than conventional organic resists and can reduce pattern collapse.
- JSR aims to respond faster to its South Korean customers and strengthen local production and quality control.
The opening comes at a time when chipmakers need materials capable of meeting the demands of ever-smaller patterns. EUV lithography makes it possible to manufacture very fine structures on silicon wafers, but the result also depends on the properties of the photosensitive materials used during the process.
The new plant brings a production stage for these materials closer to customers in South Korea, one of the world’s leading hubs for memory and semiconductor manufacturing. The announcement, however, does not specify the facility’s annual capacity or when it will reach full commercial production.
What MOR Resist Brings to Chipmaking
MOR resists, short for Metal Oxide Resist, are inorganic photosensitive materials based on metal oxides. They are used in lithography processes to define patterns on wafers that are later transferred to the semiconductor layers through etching techniques.
According to information published by The Elec, one of its advantages over organic materials is greater etch resistance. This property can help keep the defined structures intact during manufacturing and reduce the risk of patterns collapsing when working with very small dimensions.
MOR resists are thus emerging as an alternative or complement to chemically amplified resists, known as CAR (Chemically Amplified Resists), commonly used in photolithography. The choice of material depends on the requirements of each process, so the arrival of a new plant does not mean MOR resists will broadly replace conventional ones.
JSR began commercializing this technology after acquiring the US company Inpria in 2021. The new South Korean facility will be its first production base dedicated to MOR resists for EUV and will handle the final manufacturing stage. The announcement does not detail whether earlier production stages will also take place in South Korea, nor how much material the plant will be able to supply.
For chipmakers, having specialized materials available near their facilities can help reduce response times and improve coordination with suppliers. In this case, JSR says it aims to serve its major domestic customers more quickly and to strengthen its local production and quality-control capabilities.
JSR Strengthens Its Industrial Presence in South Korea
JSR Micro Korea was established in Ochang in 2003 and had until now focused on display materials. The new plant expands its scope into advanced semiconductor materials and creates a domestic production base for MOR resists.
The completion ceremony included Tetsuro Hori, president and CEO of JSR; Takahiro Iijima, president of JSR Micro Korea; Shin Yong-han, governor of North Chungcheong; and Shin Byeong-dae, deputy mayor of Cheongju.
The company expects the facility to help stabilize the supply of specialized materials for South Korean industry. However, the published information does not identify the customers who will use the plant, does not quantify expected orders, and does not provide figures on investment, employment, or production capacity.
Those figures will be needed to gauge the commercial scale of the facility. For now, the confirmed development is the plant’s completion and its focus on the final production stage of MOR resists for EUV lithography, a process that, as Intel’s own EUV wafer milestones show, continues to scale up across the chip industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will JSR manufacture at its new South Korean plant?
The facility will produce metal oxide resists, known as MOR, intended for extreme ultraviolet lithography processes used in semiconductor manufacturing.
Where is the plant located?
It is located in the Ochang foreign investment zone, in Cheongju, within South Korea’s North Chungcheong province.
What advantages do MOR resists offer?
They offer greater etch resistance than organic materials and can reduce pattern collapse when manufacturing very small structures.
When did JSR start commercializing this technology?
JSR began commercializing MOR after acquiring the US company Inpria in 2021.
