South Korea's Reliance on Foreign Patents for HBM Hybrid Bonding Raises Patent Dispute Risks

A research by Korea Institute of Intellectual Property Promotion (KIPRO) found that most core technologies for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) are owned by countries outside of South Korea, with US companies TSMC and Adeia leading in hybrid bonding technologies. South Korean companies rely heavily on foreign companies for raw materials and equipment, and lack core patents related to HBM, which could lead to future patent lawsuits. Patent disputes may arise starting in 2026 as hybrid bonding becomes commercialized.