Biden: S Korean chip plant a model for deeper ties to Asia

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dont-panic-about-rare-earth-elements/

The trace minerals and elements required for the production of the chips don't occur in the USA

Sigh. Yes they do. They exist in abundance in the deserts of the west. The cost to mine them in the US is generally greater than for other poorer nations so mining them in the US is not cost competitive with lower cost mines elsewhere. Nonetheless there is no shortage of those not so rare, "rare Earth" minerals in the US.

At least Biden’s not rushing off to the 38th Parallel to shake Kim Jong Un’s hand. That alone is a big improvement.

Thanks to Japan for Koreas success. Without Japan Korea would be like China. Your welcome S Korea!

holding it out as an illustration of how deeper ties with the Indo Pacific can fuel technological innovation and foster vibrant democracies.

I'm pleased that attempts are being made by President Biden to further deepen ties with nations around the world, but worry the chip project is another illustration of how projects like that tend to serve to further enrich the already wealthy class. Hopefully the plant in Texas will provide lots of entry-level jobs. And Samsung and its partners will find ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

"President Biden’s first trip to Asia got off to a rocky start Friday when he called South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol by his predecessor’s name at a Samsung microchip facility.

Biden quickly corrected himself after addressing Yoon as “Moon,” an apparent reference to former Korean President Moon Jae-in, whose five-year term ended earlier this month.

“Thank you all very much and President Moon — Yoon, thank you for everything you’ve done so far,” Biden said at the end of his remarks."

He should have replied, thank you so much President Trump, please to meet you.

Does he know the name of the plant?

@Rodney

Does he know the name of the plant?

It's about 5 km away from USFK's main base, Camp Humphreys.

Korean nationalists are talking about kicking USFK out of Camp Humphreys(USFK got kicked out of Yongsan, Seoul, and Northern suburb of Seoul 14 years before) and send them way south again, because the property value around Camp Humphreys soared as Samsung's $150 billion investment at this chip foundry fab is transforming the whole area into a ultra-modern metropolis right now.

Koreans spent $10 billion to build the Camp Humphreys, but it would be worth at least $200 billion now if it's turned into a residential area.

Yoon, standing next to Biden, did not visibly react to the gaffe, which seemed to be an ad-libbed conclusion to a speech that Biden read from a teleprompter. The American president had twice called Yoon by his correct name earlier in the speech.

so can read the name from the prompter.

As soon as that thing is off, doesnt even really know the guy's name.

cant wait for the Japan version of this traveling clown show.

The trace minerals and elements required for the production of the chips don't occur in the USA .

Not enough to use anyway.

Japan is mining them in the Ogasawara area.