Core Insights - A study indicates that most core technologies required for advanced packaging of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) are held by countries outside of South Korea [1] - South Korean companies excel in manufacturing and stacking HBM but are overly reliant on foreign companies for raw materials and equipment, which may expose them to patent litigation risks in the future [1][2] - TSMC and Adeia from the U.S. are leaders in hybrid bonding technology, with Adeia holding the most valuable patents based on a review of over 10,000 related patents from 2003 to 2022 [1] Patent Landscape - According to K-PEG ratings, TSMC ranks first in the number of high-quality patents above A3 level, followed by Samsung, Micron, and IBM [2] - China is rapidly growing in the memory sector, with companies like Yangtze Memory Technologies holding core technologies, including Xtacking, which are registered across South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Europe, and China [2] - Although South Korea holds the second-largest number of HBM-related patents, their quality and impact are below average due to reliance on imported core equipment and materials, posing risks to domestic companies [2] Future Implications - Companies may currently prefer to negotiate licensing agreements privately, but issues may escalate into litigation as hybrid bonding commercializes in 2026 [2]