Chey Tae-won says memory shortage will last until 2030, with SK hynix capacity to double within five years - 매일경제

SK Hynix Chairman Chey Tae-won stated that global memory shortages will persist until 2030, driven primarily by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI). He announced that SK Hynix plans to... Read original →

SK hynix’s aggressive capacity doubling isn’t merely reacting to AI-driven HBM demand—it’s a strategic bet that structural memory shortages through 2030 will redefine power dynamics in storage. By prioritizing wafer fabs over product lines, SK is building flexible manufacturing infrastructure capable of scaling TSV and hybrid bonding for HBM5/6, pressuring equipment vendors to accelerate EUV and advanced packaging tool deployment. Geopolitically, tighter U.S.-China tech controls heighten compliance costs, especially for SK’s Wuxi fab in mainland China. Samsung’s simultaneous HBM5 launch signals a shift from price wars to a ‘capacity arms race,’ though Samsung’s logic-memory co-design edge may give it an early lead in CPO architectures. Within 18 months, second-tier players like Micron could exit premium HBM, accelerating market concentration—while AI chipmakers, desperate for supply security, may directly invest in foundries, birthing a new era of reverse vertical integration.