A nine-day shutdown of Qatar's Ras Laffan helium facility has triggered supply chain concerns for global chipmakers. The facility, one of the world's largest helium production sites, remains offline following Iranian drone strikes. Industry experts warn that if the outage extends beyond two weeks, manufacturers may face significant production disruptions.

South Korea faces particular exposure, importing 64.7% of its helium from Qatar in 2025. The country relies heavily on helium for cooling silicon wafers during fabrication, with no viable alternatives currently available. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources has launched investigations into supply chains for 14 semiconductor materials with high dependence on Middle Eastern sources.

SK hynix has diversified its helium supplies and secured sufficient inventory, while TSMC reports no immediate impact but continues monitoring the situation. The crisis echoes a 2022 shortage triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which prompted South Korea to pursue supply diversification and domestic production of critical gases. With South Korea and Taiwan each accounting for 18% of global semiconductor production capacity, the helium shortage could have far-reaching consequences for the global chip industry.