Iran war sparks helium supply concerns for South Korea chip sector

Iran war sparks helium supply concerns for South Korea chip sector - Nikkei Asia Semiconductors Iran war sparks helium supply concerns for South Korea chip sector Strait of Hormuz shutdown constrains flow of key materials and LNG to Asia Helium is a key material in the chipmaking process, used for cooling wafers. © Reuters NAMI MATSUURA and HIDEAKI RYUGEN March 12, 2026 00:30 JST SEOUL/TAIPEI -- The Middle East crisis is casting a pall over Asia's chip supply chain as concerns mount that the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz could drag on, making it difficult for South Korea and Taiwan to procure helium, liquefied natural gas and other resources. Read Next Energy LNG tankers change course from Europe as Asia spot prices surge Energy Taiwan energy dependence in focus as Iran war highlights vulnerabilities Iran tensions South Korea to cap fuel prices as energy costs soar over Iran Iran tensions Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines-owned container ship damaged near Strait of Hormuz Commodities Mitsubishi Chemical cuts ethylene output as Iran war hits naphtha supply Iran tensions Hormuz closure risks halt in Idemitsu's Japan ethylene production Latest on Semiconductors Semiconductors Taiwan's No. 2 chipmaker UMC bets on next-gen optical tech amid AI boom Semiconductors Japan lenders rush to cash in on country's $50bn chip industry Semiconductors Japan to target $254bn in homemade semiconductor sales by 2040 Sponsored Content About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.