Seoul | Jan 13, 2026 | GEOKHUB South Korea’s SK Hynix has announced plans to invest 19 trillion won ($12.9 billion) in a new advanced semiconductor packaging facility, a move aimed at meeting surging global demand for AI-focused memory chips.
The company said construction of the plant will begin in April 2026, with completion targeted for late 2027. The facility will focus on cutting-edge chip packaging technologies essential for high-performance artificial intelligence computing.
AI Boom Drives Memory Chip Expansion
SK Hynix said intensifying global competition in artificial intelligence is accelerating demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) — a critical component used in AI data centres, graphics processors, and advanced computing systems.
HBM chips stack memory vertically, reducing power consumption and improving data processing speed, making them vital for handling the massive workloads generated by modern AI models.
As AI systems grow larger and more complex, demand for advanced memory solutions has increased sharply, prompting SK Hynix to expand capacity proactively.
Dominant Position in High-Bandwidth Memory
SK Hynix is currently the world’s leading supplier of HBM, holding an estimated 61% global market share. It supplies memory chips to major AI hardware players, including Nvidia, which relies heavily on HBM for its AI accelerators.
Samsung Electronics and Micron follow behind, with roughly 19% and 20% market share respectively, according to industry estimates.
The investment underscores South Korea’s ambition to remain a global semiconductor powerhouse and strengthens SK Hynix’s position at the centre of the AI hardware supply chain.
