Taiwan's Powerchip sees no need for govt help

TAIPEI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Powerchip Semiconductor Corp (5346.TWO), Taiwan's top DRAM maker, will not require government assistance to weather the current downturn in its sector, the company's chairman said on Tuesday.

"We are hoping that a cut in output will be good enough" to reverse weakness in DRAM prices, Powerchip Chairman Frank Huang told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.

He added he expects to see the sector start to recover in the first quarter of 2009.

Powerchip posted a record quarter loss in the third quarter this year.

(Reporting by Kelvin Soh, Editing by Keiron Henderson)