THE Korean company Goldstar is considering Northern Ireland as a site for a billion pound computer chip manufacturing Executives have held discussions with the Industrial Development Board but have not made a decision on the location for the factory, which could lead to several hundred new jobs.

Goldstar is one of Korea's biggest conglomerates, whose interests include petrochemicals, electrical appliances and banking. Competition among industrial development agencies to attract the company is intense. Among the other areas on the company's shortlist are Scotland and the north east of England, where it already has two factories making television sets and microwave ovens.

Turnover among its 46 subsidiaries last year amounted to nearly £43 billion, or 10 per cent of South Korea's total GNP.