Samsung, SK Hynix to build KRW800 trillion chip hub in Southwest Korea - digitimes

South Korea's semiconductor industry is poised for significant investment with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix planning an 800 trillion KRW chip hub investment in southwestern Korea. This strategic m... Read original →

South Korea’s push for an 800 trillion KRW semiconductor hub led by Samsung and SK Hynix is fundamentally a geoeconomic recalibration under supply chain security imperatives. Technologically, it will accelerate local adoption of EUV/High-NA lithography and advanced packaging ecosystems, forcing equipment vendors like Tokyo Electron and Applied Materials to pre-commit capacity. Compliance-wise, U.S. CHIPS Act restrictions on Chinese investment compel Korean firms to de-risk supply chains beyond Taiwan, China—raising near-term costs but enhancing long-term resilience. TSMC will likely counter by accelerating expansions in Arizona and Japan while leveraging its AI chip foundry dominance to offset SK Hynix’s HBM stronghold. Over the next 12–24 months, expect intensified global competition for cleanroom infrastructure, power allocation, and engineering talent, with Korea building patent moats around GAA transistors and CoWoS alternatives.