UMC Selected as a Global Index Component for Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes

UMC receives high marks for several criteria across multiple fields

HSINCHU, Taiwan, September 8, 2008 -- UMC (NYSE: UMC; TSE: 2303), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced that it has been selected as a global component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes following their 2008 annual review. UMC scored high marks for several criteria across multiple fields, including top scores in the areas of innovation management and standards for suppliers. Of the 33 new entries for 2008, UMC was the only Taiwanese company chosen for inclusion. UMC's listing underscores the company's strength in sustainability and commitment to long-term business performance.

Dr. Shih-Wei Sun, CEO from UMC, said, "We are proud that UMC's accomplishments in corporate sustainability have been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, one of the most respected indexes worldwide. This milestone has provided us with further motivation to keep improving our operations ethically and transparently. Going forward, we will continue to work toward enhancing UMC's corporate sustainability and business success in order to bring maximum value to our customers and shareholders."

The annual review of the DJSI family is based on a thorough analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labor practices. It accounts for general as well as industry specific sustainability criteria for each of 57 industries defined according to the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB). In the 2008 assessment, the weighting of industry specific criteria was increased to 57 percent - up from 50 percent last year and from 30 percent in 1999.

About UMC
UMC (NYSE: UMC, TSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that manufactures advanced system-on-chip (SoC) designs for applications spanning every major sector of the IC industry. UMC's customer-driven approach allows chips designers to leverage the strength of the company's advanced technologies, which include production proven 90nm, 65nm, mixed signal/RFCMOS, and a wide range of specialty technologies. Production is supported through 10 wafer manufacturing facilities that include two advanced 300mm fabs; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based Fab 12i are both in volume production for a variety of customer products. The company employs approximately 13,000 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Europe, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.