TOKYO/SEOUL/TAIPEI -- The chip shortage that had slowed automobile manufacturing has now spread to the production of smartphones and personal computers, threatening to derail a post-pandemic economic recovery.
The shortage spurred by strong chip demand during the pandemic has been exacerbated by the shutdown of a Samsung plant in Texas following a winter storm. The chip fabrication plant responsible for 5% of global supply has been idled since Feb. 16, causing widespread repercussions through the supply chain.
