Samsung, SK Unveil Massive Semiconductor, AI Data Center Investments - 조선일보

At the 'Great Leap Forward 3 Mega Projects National Report Conference' held on June 29, 2026, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won unveiled major investments in... Read original →

Samsung and SK’s synchronized mega-investments signal a defensive surge against the AI compute arms race. Technically, HBM’s reliance on EUV lithography will strain upstream materials like photoresists and high-purity gases while accelerating intelligent fab adoption to stabilize yields. Despite Korean government subsidies, over-concentration of capacity domestically heightens supply chain fragility amid tightening U.S.-Japan-Netherlands equipment controls. Competitively, TSMC and DRAM makers in Taiwan, China are likely to fast-track CoWoS and HBM3E ramp-ups, while Micron leverages CHIPS Act incentives to lock in North American clients. Within 18 months, this could trigger a global memory capex rebalancing—but if AI server demand falters, Korea’s aggressive HBM expansion risks severe oversupply by 2027, forcing a brutal industry consolidation.