EXHIBIT 99.1
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                        [LETTERHEAD OF KULICKE & SOFFA]

NEWS for Immediate Release

                      Kulicke & Soffa To File $250 Million
                          Shelf Registration Statement

Willow Grove, PA--February 15, 2002--Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:
KLIC) announced today that it intends to file a shelf registration statement
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will permit the company, from
time to time, to offer and sell various types of securities, including common
stock, preferred stock, senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt
securities, subordinated debt securities, warrants and units, having an
aggregate sales price of up to $250 million.

K&S will file the registration statement to gain additional flexibility in
accessing capital markets. Proceeds from sales of securities pursuant to the
registration statement may be used to repay debt, for acquisitions and for
general corporate purposes or as otherwise described in the prospectus
supplement relating to an offering of securities pursuant to the registration
statement.

Copies of the registration statement will be available at:
http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/srch-edgar along with the Company's other SEC
filings.

The registration statement on Form S-3 relating to these securities to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission has not yet become effective. These
securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time
that the registration statement becomes effective. This news release does not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the
securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in which such
offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification of the securities under the securities laws of that state.

Kulicke & Soffa is the world's leading supplier of semiconductor assembly
interconnect equipment, materials and technology. Chip and wire solutions
combine wafer dicing, die bonding and wire bonding equipment with saw blades,
die collets, wire and capillaries. Flip chip solutions include wafer bumping
technology, die placement equipment and Ultravia(TM) high density substrates.
Chip scale and wafer level packaging solutions include solder sphere attachment
systems and Ultra CSP(R) technology. Test interconnect solutions include
standard and vertical probe cards, ATE interface assemblies and ATE boards for
wafer testing, and test sockets and contactors for all types of packages.
Kulicke & Soffa's web site address is www.kns.com.

Company Contact:  Nancy R. Kyle, 215-784-6436 or at nkyle@kns.com.