<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-03-007928
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030616
<FILING-DATE>20030618
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KIM JAMES J
<CIK>0001158839
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-29472
<FILM-NUMBER>03748324
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1345 ENTERPRISE DRIVE
<CITY>WEST CHESTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>19380
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AMKOR TECHNOLOGY INC
<CIK>0001047127
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>231722724
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1345 ENTERPRISE DR
<CITY>WEST CHESTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>19380
<PHONE>6104319600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1345 ENTERPRISE DR
<CITY>WEST CHESTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>19380
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-16</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0001047127</issuerCik><issuerName>AMKOR TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMKR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001158839</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>KIM JAMES J</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.79</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-07-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Amkor Technology, Inc. Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>250000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>250000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.79</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-04-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Amkor Technology, Inc. Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>250000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>250000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.79</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-02-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Amkor Technology, Inc. Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>250000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>250000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Grant of options to purchase common stock in connection with the Amkor Technology, Inc. Stock Option Exchange Program pursuant to the Schedule TO filed by Amkor Technology, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2002 and as amended as of November 27, 2002 and December 13, 2002.</footnote><footnote id="F2">On the one year anniversary of the grant date of the option reported herein ("new option"), such new option will vest and become exercisable as to the number of shares that would have been exercisable under the terms of the original surrendered option on the date the new option was granted.  Each month following the one year anniversary of the grant date of the new option, any shares subject to the new option that have not yet vested will vest and become exercisable as to that number of shares equal to one forty-eighth (1/48th) of the total shares granted under the original surrendered option.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kevin J. Heron - By Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
