▲ Jacob Helberg, under secretary of state for economic affairs, speaks during a press availability during the Pax Silica summit in Washington on June 25, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau speaks during a press availability during the Pax Silica summit in Washington on June 25, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ Participants of the Pax Silica summit pose for a photo in Washington on June 25, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Pax Silica-S Korea

(LEAD) Senior U.S. official hails S. Korea as punching far above its weight in chip production, expertise

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; ADDS photo)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. official on Thursday hailed South Korea as a country that punches far above its weight in semiconductor production and engineering, expressing his expectations for Seoul's role in advancing a U.S.-led initiative to promote artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain security.

Jacob Helberg, under secretary of state for economic affairs, made the remarks in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency, as the second "Pax Silica" summit began in Washington with the participation of nearly 20 member countries, including South Korea, Britain, Japan and Australia.

Representing South Korea at the summit was Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina. Launched last year, the summit is seen as part of a U.S. drive to build and reinforce a trusted supply chain ecosystem for AI, critical minerals and other areas, as Washington seeks to counter China's growing heft in those fields.

"South Korea is obviously home to some of the world's largest memory chips. It's a country that far punches its weight in terms of chip production, technical expertise, and engineering," Helberg said.

"We have had bilateral conversations with our South Korean counterparts on a very regular basis, and ultimately we're very excited to work with (them) to continue deepening that collaboration," he added.

He voiced his expectation that South Korea will contribute "a lot of insights" during the Pax Silica gathering, particularly on AI infrastructure security and the management of capacity shortages.

Pax Silica draws from the Latin "pax," which means peace, stability and long-term prosperity, while "silica" refers to the compound refined into silicon, a chemical element key to the computer chips that enable AI, according to the State Department.

At the opening event, Helberg announced a series of Pax Silica initiatives, including the "Pax Pass," a project for shipping high-value AI products through Panama.

The project involves cargo verification, AI-powered risk assessment and pre-approved expedited processing for trusted shipments, he said, noting the U.S. will commit US$50 million in foreign assistance to help develop and deploy it.

"Pax Pass will reduce friction, strengthen supply chain resilience and accelerate trusted trade," he said in his opening remarks.

He also unveiled the planned signing of the "Declaration on AI Opportunity." which he described as a shared commitment to pro-growth AI policies, trusted technology ecosystems, resilient supply chains and investment in the infrastructure needed to power the AI economy.

"The declaration reflects a simple but important idea: Governments should not approach AI primarily through the lens of restriction. We should approach it through the lens of opportunity," he said.

In addition, he announced a plan to launch the "Foundry School," a workforce development initiative in partnership with Stanford University to support entrepreneurs, engineers and manufacturing leaders across Pax Silica economies.

The official stressed the importance of international cooperation to foster the AI economy and share the benefits from it.

"There are inefficiencies in how trusted countries move critical goods. There are shortages of talent. There are gaps in infrastructure and investment. There are opportunities to strengthen supply chains and remove unnecessary barriers to innovation," Helberg said.

"These are not challenges that any one country can solve. These are opportunities that trusted partners can tackle together. This is why Pax Silica exists," he added, casting the Pax Silica platform as a "toolkit" that enables partners to "solve problems together, pilot new ideas and scale what works."

In his opening remarks, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau underscored that Pax Silica is aimed at keeping AI and other cutting-edge technologies, and their future growth, "in trusted hands."

"The technologies that will define this century -- advanced chips, AI infrastructure, abundant energy and the minerals that make up all of it -- are too consequential to be left vulnerable to coercive policies and markets," he said.

He went on to say, "No state-directed rival can keep pace" when the U.S. unleashes its private sector and partners with nations that do the same.

He appeared to be referring to China, though he did not mention it by name.

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