Samsung Chairman Inspects HBM Production for AI Semiconductors - 조선일보

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Cheonan site in South Chungcheong Province on June 23, 2026, to inspect the production line for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a core component in A... Read original →

Samsung’s early HBM4 mass production and HBM4E rollout are triggering a cascade across the AI memory stack: surging demand for advanced packaging and TSV processes is pushing equipment makers to accelerate CoWoS alternatives. While this strengthens Samsung’s leverage with NVIDIA, it heightens geopolitical exposure—deepening U.S. alignment raises compliance costs and squeezes Taiwan, China’s foundry buffer zone. With SK Hynix and Micron fast-tracking HBM4 validation, Samsung’s 12-layer lead aims to lock in the 2027 AI training chip window. Over the next 18 months, HBM competition will shift from specs to yield and scale; regional investments like South Chungcheong will become subsidy battlegrounds. Without converting tech leadership into cost-efficient volume, Samsung’s first-mover edge may erode rapidly.