The government says it will play an active role in maintaining South Korea's leading position in the semiconductor industry in the face of strong challenges from China. 

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Paik Un-gyu visited the main assembly lines of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the world’s two largest chip makers. 

Paik said the government will help them the development of next-generation materials, and foster system semiconductors as a new growth engine in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.