Singapore, May 31, 2002 - UMCi, the Singapore-based joint venture between world leading semiconductor foundry UMC (NYSE: UMC), Infineon Technologies AG (IFX), and EDBI, today announced that several major contracts have been awarded for the next construction phase of the 300-mm facility located in the Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park. UMCi recently held the topping-off ceremony for the wafer fab, signifying the completion of the building structure and first phase of construction. The major contracts awarded were:

• Hyflux Hydrochem (S) Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyflux Ltd. won the waste water treatment system contract.
• H+W Zander, a subsidiary of Jenoptik Group, was awarded the cleanroom system contract.
• SOXAL (Singapore Oxygen Air Liquide Pte Ltd) will provide the gas yard and total gas supply system.
• Sumitomo Chemical engineering Corp., Ltd. (SCEC) will be in charge of the central chemical supply system.
• Vivendi Water Systems/USF will supply the ultra pure water system.
  
  

UMCi President Chris Chi said, "After thorough evaluation, we chose to award construction contracts to these companies based on their expertise and experience in their respective fields. With the awarding of these contracts, we are well on our way towards the completion of the facility by our expected date."

The contracts, totaling US$68 million, is an important step towards the completion of the 300-mm complex expected at the end of this year. Total planned capacity is 40,000 wafers per month with production scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2003 on UMC's advanced 130-nm (0.13-um) and 90-nm copper/low k process technologies.