8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 5, 2002



                       KULICKE AND SOFFA INDUSTRIES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


        PENNSYLVANIA                   000-00121                 23-1498399
(State or Other Jurisdiction          (Commission             (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation)                File Number)           Identification No.)


2101 Blair Mill Road, Willow Grove, PA                             19090
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                          Zip Code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (215) 784-6000



ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

     On November 5, 2002, Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (the "Company")
issued a press release announcing that it is exploring options and evaluating
various alternatives for certain of its non-core business units. A copy of this
press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, and is incorporated herein by
reference.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

      (c) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.                          Description

  99.1                   Press Release dated November 5, 2002



                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                              KULICKE AND SOFFA INDUSTRIES, INC.

Date: November 6, 2002                         By: /s/ Clifford G. Sprague
                                                   -----------------------
                                                 Clifford G. Sprague
                                                 Senior Vice President and Chief
                                                 Financial Officer



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.                             Description

  99.1                         Press Release dated November 5, 2002

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

[LOGO] Kulicke & Soffa

                         [LETTERHEAD OF KULICKE & SOFFA]

NEWS for Immediate Release


          Kulicke & Soffa Explores Options for Non-Core Business Units

Willow Grove, PA, November 5, 2002--Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:
KLIC) today announced that it is exploring options for certain of its non-core
business units.

In order to focus management and financial resources on its larger, more
established product lines, the Company is evaluating various alternatives for
its dicing saw, wafer and hard material blade, and flip chip business units,
including their potential sale. K&S has begun very preliminary discussions with
potential buyers while concurrently exploring other alternatives for these
non-core businesses. There can be no assurance that a sale of the units will
occur, therefore, they will continue to be operated with the full support of
K&S.

C. Scott Kulicke, chairman and chief executive officer said, "Due to the severe
nature and uncertain duration of this industry downturn, it is critical to
concentrate management attention on our core businesses. The wire bonder, wire,
capillary, and test interconnect operations have greater growth potential."

Kulicke & Soffa is the world's leading supplier of semiconductor assembly and
test interconnect equipment, materials and technology. Assembly solutions
combine wire bonding equipment with bonding wire and capillaries. 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.

                                    --more--



                  Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are found in
various places throughout the press release. While these forward-looking
statements represent our judgments and future expectations concerning the
development of our business, a number of risks, uncertainties and other
important factors could cause actual developments and results to differ
materially from our expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to,
those listed or discussed in Kulicke & Soffa Industries' 2001 Annual Report on
Form 10-K and: the risk of failure to successfully manage our operations; the
risk that anticipated orders may not materialize or that orders received may be
postponed or canceled, generally without charges; the risk that anticipated cost
savings will not be achieved; the volatility in the demand for semiconductors
and our products and services; acts of terrorism and violence; overall global
economic conditions; risks, such as changes in trade regulations, currency
fluctuations, political instability and war, associated with a substantial
foreign customer and supplier base and substantial foreign manufacturing
operations; potential instability in foreign capital markets; and other key
factors that could adversely affect our businesses and financial performance
contained in past and future filings and reports, including those with the SEC.
Kulicke & Soffa Industries is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims
any such obligations to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

                                      # # #


Company Contact:

Investors:
Nancy R. Kyle
215-784-6436
nkyle@kns.com

Media:
Henri Van Parys
215-784-6818
parys@kns.com