SK Hynix becomes South Korea’s most valuable company - Semafor

SK Hynix surpassed Samsung to become South Korea's most valuable company, driven by the AI-powered chip boom. Once a debt-ridden firm known as a 'penny stock,' SK Hynix's shares have more than quadrup... Read original →

SK Hynix’s ascent to South Korea’s most valuable company marks a structural shift: memory chips are no longer commodities but AI-critical infrastructure. Technically, HBM3E and upcoming HBM4 demand more EUV layers and advanced TSV processes, raising barriers across the advanced packaging ecosystem. Regulatory alignment between U.S. and South Korean export controls pressures SK’s China-based fabs, inflating operational costs permanently. Samsung will likely accelerate its HBM ramp and push integrated AI-server solutions to reclaim leadership, while Micron leverages CHIPS Act subsidies to build a ‘Korea-diversified’ supply chain. Over the next 18 months, exponential demand from AI clusters will cement high-bandwidth memory as a geopolitical asset—pricing power shifts upstream, and consumer electronics inflation becomes unavoidable.