Chip cooling essential raw material! The Strait of Hormuz "locks in" helium, with 64.7% of South Korea's total imports coming from Qatar

The Iran war-induced Strait of Hormuz blockade is directly pushing a raw material supply crisis into the heart of the global semiconductor industry chain.

According to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, three helium production facilities in Qatar have ceased operations, and about one-third of the world’s helium supply has disappeared from the market. Helium is an essential raw material for cooling semiconductor wafers, and last year, 64.7% of South Korea’s helium imports came from Qatar.

The realization of supply chain risks, combined with a spike in international oil prices that temporarily soared to $111 per barrel, has raised serious concerns about cost pressures and raw material security in the semiconductor industry.

Analysts point out that if the blockade persists, procurement costs and time pressures for related companies will significantly increase in the medium term.

Helium supply “confirmed shortage” and potential bromine risks cannot be ignored

The helium supply shock has evolved from an early warning to actual reduction. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 6th, three helium production facilities in Qatar have stopped operating. The publication C&EN, affiliated with the American Chemical Society, also pointed out that after the outbreak of war, “one-third of the global helium supply has disappeared from the market,” and warned that “if the conflict lasts more than two weeks, the chaos faced by helium users could take months to resolve.”

Helium is used in semiconductor manufacturing for wafer cooling and is a necessary part of the process. According to data from the Korea Trade Association, by 2025, 64.7% of South Korea’s helium imports come from Qatar. With the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the maritime transportation routes for Qatari helium are also obstructed, further increasing the risk of supply chain disruption.

Compared to helium, the supply impact on bromine has not yet entered the “confirmed” stage, but its highly concentrated import sources also raise industry concerns. Bromine is used in semiconductor etching processes, and high-purity hydrogen bromide (HBr) is widely used in the etching of polysilicon in DRAM and NAND flash manufacturing.

97.5% of South Korea’s bromine imports come from Israel, making it one of the 14 semiconductor supply chain items with high dependence on the Middle East. Currently, bromine is still classified as a potential risk factor, relatively safer than helium, but if the situation further escalates, its vulnerability will quickly be exposed.

Corporate response: inventory and diversification to buy time

In response to supply shocks, South Korean semiconductor companies are relying on pre-stockpiling and diversifying suppliers to gain short-term buffers. It is reported that SK Hynix not only holds some helium inventories but has also secured additional supply channels, and is now largely out of the short-term impact range.

However, medium-term risks remain difficult to eliminate. If Qatar’s gas production halts and the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues, the costs and time burdens for key raw material procurement will continue to accumulate. Even if supplies are not completely interrupted, switching to verified alternative suppliers also takes time.

According to a comprehensive analysis by the AI investment information platform Epic AI of broker research reports from the 6th to the 9th, the Iran conflict, through the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and sharp oil price increases, is causing direct shocks to the global energy market and triggering short-term volatility and rising costs in the semiconductor industry.

Analysts warn that if the conflict becomes prolonged, risks such as delays in data center investments, rising financing costs, and factory shutdowns worldwide remain. As a country highly dependent on energy imports from the Gulf, South Korea faces additional pressures that should not be underestimated.

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