SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 25, 2003--In its latest move to enhance its global customer support network, KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC) today announced the opening of the industry's first online support center (OSC) in Japan. Staffed with Japanese-speaking experts, KLA-Tencor's Japan OSC is designed to help local customers ramp up production and resolve tool issues more quickly, while at the same time lowering their service costs. In addition to Japan, KLA-Tencor has OSCs located in the U.S. and Taiwan to supplement its support services throughout the North American, European and Asia-Pacific regions.

According to Motohiko Tahara, president of KLA-Tencor Japan, the company's new OSC in Japan signifies a new customer service model in which customers can enjoy the immediate benefits of increased coverage and faster response time, while reducing service cost. "Our investment in this state-of-the-art facility demonstrates
KLA-Tencor's strong commitment to providing our customers with the productivity and cost-saving advantages needed to remain successful in today's global environment. Japan continues to be a key driver in the worldwide semiconductor industry, and this center will help us to increase the efficiency of our local support team in delivering industry-leading support solutions that enable our Japan-based customers to ramp up their 300-mm processes faster and reach production earlier."

KLA-Tencor's OSCs leverage iSupport™--a highly secure network that includes expert onsite support, 7x24 online support and e-diagnostics that are built into every new KLA-Tencor tool. iSupport has already been adopted by 17 of the top 20 chip manufacturers worldwide, including six of the top eight Japanese IC manufacturers.

KLA-Tencor's Japan OSC is located at:

7F, YBP East Tower
134 Godo-Cho, Hodogaya-Ku
Yokohama City, Kanagawa 240-0005 Japan
Main Phone: +81-45-335-8210



About KLA-Tencor: KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with operations around the world, KLA-Tencor ranked #6 on S&P's 2002 index of the top 500 companies in the U.S. KLA-Tencor is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC. Additional information about the company is available on the Internet at http://www.kla-tencor.com

Contact:
Meggan Powers
Director Corporate Communications