US-led chip alliance not aimed at excluding China: South Korea

South Korea is reviewing its possible participation in the US-led semiconductor alliance from the perspective of national interest and has no intent to build an exclusive grouping against China, the industry minister said on Monday.
Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang made the remarks amid concerns that South Korea’s possible joining of the “Chip 4” could cause friction with China, its largest trading partner, if it develops into an exclusive grouping against Beijing.
The Chip 4 is an envisioned alliance of semiconductor powerhouses tentatively involving the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, widely considered a grouping against China and aimed at countering Beijing’s influence in global supply chains.