Amidst the US-China technology rivalry, the semiconductor industry, often called the heart of the global economy, has transcended its purely technological domain to become a crucial arena for national security and geopolitical hegemony. As the tech competition between the United States and China intensifies, the global semiconductor supply chain is undergoing a period of dramatic upheaval. In response, various countries are pursuing unique strategies to achieve semiconductor self-sufficiency, centered on their own nations. However, this process has also sparked ethical and economic controversies. These changes are profoundly impacting South Korea, one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturing powers. The question is, where should we go from here? The US's semiconductor regulations targeting China began several years ago. Following the Biden administration's imposition of export controls on semiconductor equipment to China in October 2022, the US has continuously expanded the scope of its sanctions. In 2023, restrictions on AI chip exports were tightened, and in 2024, the regulations were extended to include legacy semiconductors. By 2025, measures to limit investment in Chinese semiconductor companies were fully implemented, and this trend has only intensified through 2026. According to the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), exports of advanced semiconductor equipment to China decreased by 67% year-on-year in 2025. This policy is not merely confined to the technological competition between the two superpowers but directly affects their allies as well. Japan introduced an export licensing system for 23 categories of semiconductor manufacturing equipment starting July 2023. The Netherlands restricted the export of not only ASML's cutting-edge EUV lithography equipment but also some DUV equipment to China. South Korea, too, has adopted a cautious stance on semiconductor equipment exports to China since early 2024, largely at the request of the US. A 2025 report by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association indicates that domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturers' exports to China decreased by 42% compared to 2023. James Lewis, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), analyzed in a December 2025 report that "while these US actions are effective in delaying China's advanced semiconductor production capabilities by 2-3 years in the short term, they could cause severe disruption to the global supply chain in the long run and accelerate China's indigenous technological development." Indeed, China's semiconductor self-sufficiency rate rose from 16.7% in 2022 to 21.2% in 2025, and the Chinese government has publicly declared its goal to increase this to 70% by 2030. Major international media outlets present conflicting views on this matter. The opinion section of the progressive New York Times points out that the US's China policy is intertwined not only with technological sanctions but also with labor ethics and human rights issues. In particular, forced labor concerns raised in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are a major factor affecting the supply chains of various advanced products, including semiconductors. A New York Times column in mid-March 2026 criticized, "While the US semiconductor sanctions ostensibly prioritize national security, they have not substantially contributed to improving the labor conditions of ethnic minorities in China, and instead risk overlooking these issues during the supply chain restructuring process." Furthermore, arguments have been made that US pressure on developing countries to align with its policies could undermine their economic autonomy. Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam and Malaysia, which have deep economic ties with China, face a dilemma as they are pressured by the US to participate in supply chain realignment. The New York Times emphasized, "This is not merely an economic and industrial issue, but one that can expand into ethical and international political concerns." A 2025 report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) analyzed that the US-China tech dispute led to an average 23% reduction in semiconductor-related trade for developing countries. National Security vs. Human Rights: Where to Place the Emphasis? Conversely, the conservative Wall Street Journal strongly supports US semiconductor regulations and cooperation among allies. In a March 2026 editorial, the Wall Street Journal argued that "the semiconductor industry should be regarded not merely as an area of market competition but as a matter of national security." The logic is that China's technological rise entails various risks, from economic to military threats, making cooperation between the US and its allies an unavoidable choice to counter them. The Wall Street Journal emphasized, "Supply chain restructuring should be viewed based on long-term national interests, not short-term marke