Amkor Technology to Double Capacity of uBGA Chip-Scale Packages.

WEST CHESTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 1999--Amkor Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:AMKR) the world's leading provider of packaging and test services for the semiconductor industry, today announced plans to double production capacity of its uBGA(R) chip-scale (CSP) packages by mid-1999.

Amkor delivered more than 14 million uBGA packages since the state-of-the-art package was introduced last year. Under current plans, the production capacity will be increased to 6.0 million units per month.

With their very low profile and size, uBGA packages were specifically developed to meet the needs of IC suppliers and OEMs who require near chip-size packages for use in next generation cell phones, personal digital assistants and laptop computers. uBGA technology is also used in packaging Rambus(R) DRAMs (RDRAM(R)).

"We're optimistic about the future growth of chip-scale packages and specifically uBGA," said Paul Hoffman, vice president of advanced products for Amkor.

"By expanding capacity, we not only keep up with customers' requirements, we also expect to create production efficiencies that should make this package more cost-effective. Our successful ramp-up of this new package will further enable us to support our customers in the rapidly growing portable and cellular markets.

"We plan to release a number of new products using CSP package technology later this year to support the growing market for portable applications," adds Hoffman.

The uBGA package offers equipment manufacturers the lowest surface mount package profile (less than 0.9 millimeters of mounted height) while also significantly reducing the footprint on a circuit board (requiring only about 10-20% more area than the silicon chip itself). It is constructed using a thin flexible circuit tape substrate and low stress elastomer for die attachment.

The die is mounted face down on the substrate with its electrical pads connected using a method similar to TAB bonding. After bonding these leads to the die, solder balls are attached to pads on the bottom of the substrate, in a rectangular matrix similar to other BGA packages. The backside of the die is exposed allowing heat sinking if required for thermal applications.

Ball pitches available today are 0.50; 0.75; 0.80; and 1.0mm.

Note to Editors: (R)uBGA is a Registered Trademark of Tessera Inc. Rambus(R) DRAM is a Registered Trademark of Rambus RDRAM(R) is a Registered Trademark of Rambus

About Amkor Technology 

Amkor Technology Inc., is the world's largest independent provider of semiconductor packaging and test services. The company offers a complete set of semiconductor services including deep submicron wafer fabrication, wafer probe testing, IC packaging assembly and design, final testing, burn-in, characterization and reliability testing.

More information on Amkor Technology Inc. is available from the company's SEC filings and on Amkor's web site, http://www.amkor.com. Amkor Technology Inc. is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol AMKR.

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, general business conditions in the semiconductor package, test and wafer fabrication industries, fluctuations in the worldwide semiconductor market, technological changes and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the company's prospectus or 10-Q for the period ending Sept. 30, 1998.