Intel Recruits Ex-SK Hynix CEO to Strengthen Foundry Push - 조선일보

U.S. semiconductor giant Intel has appointed former SK Hynix CEO Lee Seok-hee as senior vice president of its foundry business, aiming to strengthen competitiveness in advanced process and packaging t... Read original →

Intel’s recruitment of ex-SK Hynix CEO Lee Seok-hee is a surgical strike targeting its critical gaps in back-end manufacturing and advanced packaging—not just executive reinforcement. This move accelerates integration of EUV-based sub-3nm processes with CoWoS-like 2.5D/3D stacking, directly boosting HBM-integrated AI chip yields. Under pressure to justify U.S. CHIPS Act subsidies, Intel must demonstrate commercial execution or risk losing government backing. TSMC (Taiwan, China) and Samsung will likely fast-track their own advanced packaging capacity and restrict equipment/IP sharing. Within 18 months, AI clients like NVIDIA and Tesla may leverage this competition to demand lower pricing or cross-licensing terms. While Korean talent outflow aids U.S. reshoring short-term, it risks eroding SK Hynix’s R&D edge, potentially triggering Seoul’s scrutiny over core tech leakage.