Journalist
Candice Kim, Lim Jaeho
candicekim1121@ajupress.com, ajupresswogh@ajupress.com
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Nvidia-Google rivalry translates to bigger AI chip pie for Korean memory foundries SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Expectations that Google’s in-house tensor processing units (TPUs) will challenge Nvidia’s near-monopoly in AI accelerators are translating into a bigger market for memory giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in Korea and Micron Technology in the United States. Nvidia still commands an overwhelming share of the global AI accelerator market. But growth of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and neural processing units (NPUs) — including Google’s TPU — is expected to far outpace GPUs in 2026. TrendForce projects the ASIC/NPU segment to grow 44.6 percent next year versus 16.1 percent for GPUs, signaling a structural shift in AI infrastructure spending. Nvidia’s strength remains anchored in its CUDA software ecosystem and rapid hardware-refresh cadence, which allow its GPUs to handle virtually all AI models with broad compatibility. But custom silicon is gaining appeal among hyperscalers seeking lower power consumption, tighter system-level integration and reduced long-term costs — priorities that grow more acute as AI data centers expand. Google’s seventh-generation TPU, codenamed Ironwood, marks a significant inflection point. The chip delivers FP8 performance nearly on par with Nvidia’s flagship Blackwell B200 GPU and matches its 192-gigabyte HBM3E memory capacity. Google also highlights the TPU’s ability to scale across pod-based clusters of more than 9,000 chips — a configuration suited for long-context inference and sustained workloads. External adoption is strengthening TPU’s credibility. Anthropic has committed to using up to one million TPUs under a multibillion-dollar cloud agreement, while Meta, OpenAI and Apple are reportedly testing or negotiating access to Google’s AI hardware. Such momentum has fueled concerns that Nvidia’s dominance, while intact for now, could gradually narrow as cloud providers diversify their compute stacks. The stakes are rising alongside AI investment. Combined capital expenditure by major hyperscalers is forecast to reach $602 billion in 2026, up 36 percent from this year, with roughly three-quarters of that spending tied to AI-related infrastructure. As custom silicon captures a larger share of these budgets, competition among chip architectures is intensifying. The most immediate ripple effect is in the memory market, where the AI boom largely benefit the memory oligopolies SK hynix, Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology High-bandwidth memory (HBM) — critical for both GPUs and custom accelerators — is projected to grow 77 percent in 2026 and 68 percent in 2027, according to TrendForce. As of the second quarter of 2025, SK hynix led the HBM market with a 62 percent share, followed by Micron at 21 percent and Samsung at 17 percent. Surging demand from U.S. hyperscalers tightened the DRAM race further as Micron climbed to 22 percent while the Korean makers held shares in the 30-percent range in DRAM that includes HBM. Shares of Samsung Electronics jumped 9 percent this week under Google-driven effect, while SK hynix shares gained 4.4 percent. Supply is already tight. Both SK hynix and Micron say most of their 2026 HBM output has been allocated, while next-generation products such as HBM4E are expected to dominate by 2027. Nvidia’s own roadmap underscores the mutual dependence between chip designers and memory suppliers. SK hynix is the primary HBM partner for Nvidia’s upcoming Rubin GPU platform, while Samsung and Micron are racing to secure larger roles in future generations through yield gains and customized solutions. Beyond market share shifts, geopolitics and energy constraints are reshaping the landscape. Stricter U.S. export controls on advanced AI chips, surging electricity demand at data centers, and government pushes to localize semiconductor supply chains are all nudging cloud companies toward more efficient, tailor-made hardware. For South Korea, the changing balance presents both opportunity and risk. The intensifying AI-chip race is driving unprecedented demand for HBM — benefiting all three major memory makers — but also exposing them to sharper policy swings, higher customer concentration and the strategic whims of hyperscalers increasingly committed to designing their own silicon. As the era of one-size-fits-all AI hardware gives way to a more fragmented, power-conscious ecosystem, the rivalry between Nvidia’s GPUs and Google’s TPUs is set to shape not only the future of compute but the next chapter of global memory competition. 2025-11-27 17:00:11 -
Korean Inc.'s USD hoarding is inevitable as U.S. trade and FDI footprints deepen SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s finance minister signaled the government had even asked major exporters for help in propping up the won — a reversal of the usual dynamic that underscores the urgency on the FX front. But expectations for meaningful action remain low, as companies tied to massive U.S. investment commitments have little incentive to part with their dollar reserves. The won’s annual average has already exceeded 1,400 per dollar this year, surpassing the 1997 Asian financial crisis level of 1,398.88, according to market data. The currency’s depreciation has coincided with Korean firms accelerating overseas investment, especially in the United States, while delaying dollar conversions amid deepening uncertainty over the dollar’s trajectory. Data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) shows Korea’s real effective exchange rate (REER) slid to 89.09 at the end of October — its lowest since August 2009. A REER below 100 signals an undervalued currency, reflecting broad weakness against major trading partners. The index is expected to fall further in November as the dollar has strengthened more than 3 percent over the past month. A weaker won traditionally boosts export competitiveness, but today’s environment is anything but typical. Korea’s biggest exporters are generating large dollar inflows while committing to multiyear overseas investments denominated in dollars — leaving them with few reasons to repatriate foreign currency. “Companies are hoarding dollars simply because they don’t expect the dollar to weaken,” said Jang Bo-seong, senior researcher at the Korea Capital Market Institute. “It is common sense to avoid a money-losing practice.” Jang noted that exporters naturally hedge by holding dollars, since payments for overseas investments, equipment and raw materials are often settled in dollars. “Without a clear signal that the dollar will weaken, holding dollar assets is seen as the safer choice.” Chipmakers — responsible for roughly a quarter of Korea’s exports — epitomize the mixed effects. A strong dollar boosts revenue on U.S.-denominated sales but simultaneously raises import costs for equipment and materials while inflating the won value of massive overseas investments. SK hynix, whose U.S. exposure is particularly large with about 70 percent of sales linked to American customers, says its FX posture hinges primarily on its investment cycle rather than daily market moves. “Dollar inflows from exports are managed in line with overseas investment, procurement and payment schedules,” a company official said, adding that hedging strategies are used to reduce volatility. Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and LG Electronics either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to discuss their foreign-currency management. The corporate preference for holding dollars is now directly shaping FX market dynamics. “Foreign exchange markets are ultimately driven by supply and demand,” Jang said. “When large corporates hold onto dollars instead of converting them, it inevitably tightens dollar supply in the domestic market.” This imbalance is magnified by Korea’s massive overseas investment pledges. Korean companies have committed more than $350 billion to U.S. projects as they seek to hedge geopolitical risks and secure access to advanced manufacturing ecosystems. A persistently weak won raises the won-denominated cost of those investments, further reinforcing incentives to stockpile dollars. For now, authorities have little choice but to hope for a retreat in the dollar. “If the dollar index begins to decline meaningfully, companies may reassess their currency positions,” Jang said. “For the time being, however, holding dollars remains rational from a corporate risk-management perspective.” As the won tests levels unseen even during past crises, policymakers and markets alike are closely watching whether corporate dollar hoarding — once viewed as a cyclical defensive move — is becoming a structural feature of Korea’s FX landscape. 2025-11-26 18:02:56 -
Musinsa posts record profit for second straight year despite fashion industry downturn SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korean fashion platform Musinsa announced on Tuesday its cumulative operating profit through the third quarter rose more than 20 percent from a year earlier to surpass 70 billion won ($50 million), while revenue increased by double digits. Third-quarter operating profit on a consolidated basis increased 7.3 percent from a year earlier to 11.8 billion won, while revenue expanded 11.8 percent to 302.4 billion won. Cumulative operating profit through the third quarter reached 70.6 billion won, up 20.1 percent from 58.8 billion won a year earlier. Cumulative revenue reached 973 billion won, up more than 153 billion won from 819.6 billion won in the same period. The company opened new stores during the third quarter including Musinsa Standard locations in Gangdong and Ilsan, and 29CM stores in Seongsu. Musinsa Trading, the company's brand distribution subsidiary, also launched offline stores for global brands including Undercover and Y-3. Musinsa opened a Musinsa Standard flagship store on China's Tmall in September and a Musinsa Store official mall in October, participating in the Singles Day shopping festival. The company plans to open its first overseas Musinsa Standard store and a Musinsa Store Shanghai multi-brand shop in December. In Japan, Musinsa operated a three-week pop-up store in Tokyo's Shibuya in October featuring more than 80 domestic brands and expanded collaboration with local fashion e-commerce platform Zozotown. Cumulative fashion exports through the third quarter increased more than threefold from a year earlier. "The third quarter was a period focused on building inventory for the fall-winter season ahead of the year-end shopping peak season and investing in preparation for global market entry," CEO Park Jun-mo said. A Musinsa official added, "Next year we will expand our offline presence overseas in earnest, and naturally there will be investment costs as we deploy resources." 2025-11-25 16:43:05 -
Asia leans online while US clings to doorbuster ritual in yearend shopping season SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - The final three months of the year are the busiest for global retailers, with brands competing for visibility through discounts, clearance deals and year-end promotions. Korea’s “Sale Festa”—the nationwide bargain season running from late October to mid-November—remains modest in scale compared to America’s Black Friday and China’s Singles’ Day, but global reach is widening, powered by the strong performance of Korean appliances, beauty brands and increasingly influential fashion platforms. According to Jinkyung Goo, director at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET), the differences stem from market structure: “The U.S. model originated from clearing year-end inventory across a vast territory with high logistics cost, while Korea and China adopted the season more as a consumption-activating tool driven by online retail ecosystems.” Industry estimates show that 2025 Sale Festa sales are projected to reach 9.5 trillion to 10 trillion won, up from roughly 8.7 trillion to 9 trillion won in 2024 and 7.6 trillion to 8 trillion won in 2023, driven almost entirely by platform-led promotions and rising cross-border demand. Unlike the United States, where shoppers still camp outside stores for doorbuster deals, Korea and China rarely see such scenes. The retail dynamics in both markets are now dominated by online ecosystems, with platforms aggressively capitalizing on user traffic spikes rather than clearing inventory. Goo adds that “Korea’s online penetration has become so strong that promotions naturally center on e-commerce rather than physical stores. Companies see bigger promotional effects online, so the season evolved digitally rather than through brick-and-mortar.” In Korea, platforms such as Olive Young, Musinsa, SSG, Coupang and LotteON rely on the Sale Festa brand to boost year-end revenue. They use app push notifications, flash deals, roulette-style coupons and tiered discount tools to convert user engagement into purchases. A Musinsa official noted that winter is the peak sales season for fashion platforms: “Outerwear sales determine the success of the year, and Black Friday helps us amplify brand revenue. This year about 4,500 brands participated, and we prepared logistics aggressively to prevent delivery delays.” The company added that Ugg boots, faux-fur jackets and half-coats emerged as top performers during this season. Musinsa’s “Sale Festa/Black Friday” sales surged 73 percent in 2022 and 44 percent in 2023, underscoring how platforms have turned the season into a strategic revenue engine. Korean consumers overwhelmingly shop online, with 51.5 percent preferring e-commerce over physical stores, according to the Korea International Trade Association. The United States remains an outlier, with Black Friday still functioning as a national ritual rooted in inventory clearing. Retailers such as Best Buy, Target and Walmart use the period to flush old stock ahead of year-end accounting. But even in the U.S., online sales now dominate: Black Friday 2024 online revenue hit $10.8 billion, up 10 percent year-on-year, with mobile transactions accounting for 55 percent, according to Adobe Analytics. Shopify merchants alone generated $11.5 billion during the Black Friday–Cyber Monday period. Still, the culture of crowds lining up at dawn remains uniquely American. China’s Singles’ Day dwarfs both markets. Fueled by aggressive discounting, mobile payments and livestream commerce, Alibaba posted 57.1 billion yuan (US$9.3 billion) in a single day as far back as 2014—more than U.S. Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined at the time. The ecosystem has since evolved into a full consumer-stimulus infrastructure tied directly to Beijing’s consumption-boosting policies. By 2021, 409 million Chinese shoppers—nearly a third of all internet users—were using livestream platforms for purchases. Goo explains, “China’s Singles’ Day scaled rapidly because livestream commerce and mobile payments created a promotional infrastructure at the national level. Unlike Korea, sheer market size means the ceiling for growth is much higher.” Category trends also differ. Electronics and household goods dominate U.S. demand, whereas Korea sees strongest traction in beauty, fashion and small appliances. China skews toward livestream-driven impulse purchases, premium imports and cross-border e-commerce. According to Korean retail platforms, Black Friday in Korea functions less as a ‘clearance’ period and more as a ‘sales accelerator.’ Olive Young and Musinsa both highlight that the domestic market already runs frequent seasonal promotions, reducing the role of Black Friday as a once-a-year deep-discount event. Despite the differences in culture and mechanics, all three markets share one theme: year-end shopping seasons have become a barometer of consumer confidence. Korea’s case is especially telling. The country’s domestic “Black Friday” shows how platforms—not big-box stores—now dictate consumption trends, reflecting a hyper-digitized retail landscape where algorithms, loyalty funnels and app engagement shape spending patterns far more than in-store displays. As Goo puts it, “For Korea’s version to scale further, platforms will need to expand their reach to overseas consumers. Domestic market size is limited, so long-term growth depends on strengthening cross-border accessibility.” 2025-11-25 16:04:19 -
Musinsa launches K-culture platform targeting global fans SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - South Korean fashion platform Musinsa launched K-KONNECT this month, a dedicated category featuring K-pop and K-culture merchandise including fashion items, albums, and event tickets. The service, which builds on Musinsa's limited-release platform "Musinsa Drop" launched in 2023 and "Musinsa Edition" brand collaborations from 2024, aims to connect Korean culture with global fans through exclusive products and offline pop-up stores. K-KONNECT covers categories ranging from artist collaborations with fashion brands to album releases. The platform offers exclusive merchandise, photo cards and other special benefits available only through Musinsa, along with offline pop-up stores. Recent launches include BLACKPINK character fashion items and a special edition lightstick customization kit on Nov 1, with pop-up stores in five locations including Seoul and Busan running through Nov 10. Virtual boy group PLAVE's second single album "PLBBUU" released on Nov 11 through online and offline channels reached number one in popular product rankings. The offline pop-up drew long queues of fans waiting before opening. "Collaboration cases are increasing across the content industry to strengthen trendy and hype images by partnering with fashion brands, and Musinsa with its strong young customer base is attracting attention as an optimal platform," a Musinsa official said, adding the company plans to expand artist and IP-based business collaborations through K-KONNECT. 2025-11-24 17:38:57 -
Korean won nears 1,500, reshaping export gains and deepening cost pains across industries SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - The Korean won’s slide toward the 1,500-per-dollar mark — a level touched only during crisis periods — is raising alarms for a trade-dependent economy where a cheaper currency now delivers diminishing benefits to exports while magnifying cost burdens for companies with massive U.S. investment plans. According to Bank for International Settlements data, Korea’s real effective exchange rate (REER) fell to 89.09 at the end of October, the lowest since August 2009. A REER below 100 signals an undervalued currency, and the index is expected to drop further for November after the dollar gained more than 3 percent over the past month. FX dynamics no longer guarantee an export lift In past cycles, a weaker won reliably boosted Korean exporters by enhancing price competitiveness against Japanese and European rivals. Today, the equation is more complicated. A disproportionately weak currency can distort costs, compress margins, and aggravate balance-sheet stress — especially for conglomerates juggling multi-billion-dollar commitments tied to the $350 billion U.S. investment package negotiated as part of the tariff deal. Economists say the latest bout of weakness reflects both global and domestic factors. “The dollar is strong everywhere, but the won has weakened more sharply than peers like the yen,” said Jang Bo-sung, research fellow at the Korea Capital Market Institute. He cited Korea’s surge in overseas equity investment and exporters’ reluctance to convert dollar-denominated proceeds as key reasons for the tight FX supply. “This looks more like a supply–demand imbalance than a structural collapse,” he said, suggesting the slide is driven more by near-term flows than a long-term depreciation trend. Chipmakers: higher dollar revenue, higher dollar costs A strong dollar carries mixed implications for semiconductor firms, which account for a quarter of Korea’s exports and derive significant revenue from the U.S. — an estimated 70 percent for SK hynix. While a stronger dollar lifts reported earnings, it also raises import costs for materials, equipment, and R&D inputs, limiting net benefits. “Semiconductors and shipbuilding are industrial goods with lower FX sensitivity than consumer products,” Jang noted. “The export boost from a weaker won is far smaller today than in the 2000s.” Adding to the strain, Korean chip, battery, and auto makers are locked into major U.S. factory builds. A strong dollar inflates the won-denominated cost of these projects: LG Energy Solution’s Arizona plant, initially estimated at $3.2 billion when the rate was 1,305 won per dollar, now faces more than 10 percent higher local-currency costs. Aviation and import-heavy sectors face direct cost shock Industries that rely heavily on dollar-denominated inputs are among the most exposed. Airlines pay for jet fuel, aircraft leases, and many maintenance contracts in dollars, meaning every notch lower in the won widens their cost base. Even with recovering passenger demand, carriers risk margin compression unless they raise fares or cut capacity — decisions that could cool travel demand. Import-dependent sectors such as petrochemicals, cement (due to coal), and start-ups conducting overseas clinical trials also face disproportionate pain, as they cannot avoid dollar-priced inputs while global demand remains weak. The old rule of FX-driven export gains is fading The traditional rule of thumb — a weaker won automatically boosts export champions — has weakened. Korea’s conglomerates increasingly produce goods in overseas factories and sell them in local currencies, while hedging more aggressively to smooth volatility. As a result, the pass-through from FX weakness to export volume has diminished, while the inflationary impact of pricier imports has intensified at home. “Exports today benefit less from FX than they used to, while import costs feed into domestic inflation much more quickly,” Jang said. A 1,500 won level is now more balance-sheet stress test than export windfall Going forward, the won’s trajectory will hinge on Korea–U.S. interest-rate differentials, foreign capital flows, and the country’s trade balance. Research from the Korea Capital Market Institute shows that the exchange-rate effect on Korea’s exports has markedly weakened since the early 2010s as manufacturers expanded offshore production and moved deeper into global value chains. A near-1,500 won level, once considered an export advantage, now functions more as a stress test for corporate balance sheets and investment plans than a simple tailwind for competitiveness. 2025-11-24 17:35:55 -
Samsung Electronics names new DX, DS co-CEOs and brings in global science talent in sweeping leadership reshuffle SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics unveiled a major leadership reshuffle on Friday, reinstating a two-CEO structure and appointing Harvard professor Hongkun Park and software veteran Janghyun Yoon to top technology roles as the company accelerates its transition toward next-generation semiconductor and AI innovation. TM Roh, head of the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business and acting chief of the Device eXperience (DX) Division, has been formally promoted to President & CEO of DX, joining Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and chief of the Device Solutions (DS) Division, as co-CEOs. Both leaders will continue to oversee Samsung’s core mobile and memory businesses, respectively. The company also promoted Samsung Venture Investment CEO Janghyun Yoon to President, Chief Technology Officer of DX and Head of Samsung Research, leveraging his background in software platforms, IoT and Tizen development, and deep experience in frontier technology investments including AI, robotics, biotech and semiconductors. In one of its boldest talent moves in recent years, Samsung tapped Hongkun Park, a Mark Hyman Jr. Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics at Harvard University, as the new Head of the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). Park, a leading global figure in nanoscience, quantum research and next-generation device physics, is expected to spearhead work on quantum computing, neuromorphic semiconductors and other future device platforms once he joins the company on Jan. 1, 2026. Samsung said the appointments reflect its “People First” philosophy and a strategy to secure top-tier scientific and engineering talent as geopolitical and technological competition intensifies. The reshuffle aims to strengthen execution under uncertain macro conditions while laying the groundwork for AI-driven business transformation. The company also adjusted responsibilities at the executive level. Vice Chairman Jun will continue as head of DS and Memory Business without concurrently serving as SAIT chief, while President Roh retains leadership over the MX Business alongside his expanded DX CEO role. Friday’s announcement follows a series of year-round promotions Samsung executed earlier in 2025. The company elevated Choi Won-joon to President and COO of the MX Business in March for his role in advancing Galaxy S25 development and global device competitiveness, and appointed Mauro Porcini—former chief design officer at PepsiCo and 3M—as DX’s Chief Design Officer in April. Samsung said it plans to maintain its rolling promotion system to secure high-performing leaders throughout the year. Samsung will soon announce its broader executive and organizational reshuffle for 2026, following Friday’s top-level appointments. 2025-11-21 17:20:47 -
Korea's late-40s breast cancer spike: researchers identify a surprising risk group SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Overweight and obesity are the most common drivers of post-menopausal breast cancer in American women — but for Koreans, new evidence suggests the opposite: being underweight may be the greater risk factor. New data highlight that breast-cancer risk in Korea follows a markedly different biological pathway from that of Western populations, where excess body fat typically fuels tumor development after menopause. In Korea and Japan, breast-cancer incidence peaks in women’s late 40s — nearly two decades earlier than in the United States — and researchers say this divergence may stem from hormonal patterns unique to lean Asian women entering menopause. A study led by Kangbuk Samsung Hospital and Seoul Asan Medical Center tracked 4,737 Korean women for seven years and found that underweight participants (BMI <18.5) experienced a temporary surge in estrogen and breast-tissue density during the early menopause transition. Both factors increase breast-cancer risk. The findings were published in Breast Cancer Research in October 2025. Korea’s national cancer registry recorded 29,729 new breast-cancer cases among women in 2019, with a median diagnosis age of 52.8. Women in their 40s accounted for the largest share. Incidence has risen 4.8-fold since 2000, underscoring an age-specific vulnerability among Asian women. Breast density is another key differentiator. Korean women have among the highest rates of dense breasts in the world — a characteristic that raises cancer risk and reduces mammographic accuracy. In Korea, dense-breast prevalence drops sharply from about 78 percent in the late 40s to 30 percent in the 50s. Western cohorts show only a modest shift, from roughly 47 percent to 44 percent. Researchers say these rapid hormonal and anatomical changes compress Asian women’s risk window into a narrower, younger age band. Clinicians say lifestyle patterns may further amplify this vulnerability. “Korean women tend to show much more extreme BMI distributions than Western women — they are often either very underweight or severely obese, with relatively few in the normal range,” said Shim Kyung-won, a family medicine specialist at Ewha Mokdong Hospital. “Many girls and young women grow up under strong pressure to stay thin, which leads to unnecessary dieting and early exposure to hormone-regulating or weight-control medications. This frequent hormonal exposure at a young age can contribute to infertility issues and potentially raise breast-cancer risk later in life.” Shim noted that Korean women frequently have higher body-fat percentages and more abdominal fat than Western women of the same weight because of carbohydrate-heavy diets and lower muscle mass, placing additional metabolic strain during their 30s and 40s. American data show the opposite dynamic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 716,000 obesity-associated cancers occurred in 2022, including 495,000 among women. Post-menopausal breast cancer is the most common obesity-linked cancer in American women, driven by hormone-responsive pathways tied to excess fat. Recent U.S. research has identified a biological mechanism behind this trend. Leptin — a hormone produced by fat cells — was found to promote estrogen receptor-positive tumor growth by increasing activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), a metabolic enzyme that fuels cancer cell proliferation and motility. “Our data indicate that the combined upregulation of leptin and SCD identifies a subgroup of breast cancers with poorer recurrence-free survival,” the research team said. Blocking SCD “almost completely counteracted the pro-tumorigenic effects driven by leptin,” said Dr. Barone, suggesting the enzyme’s potential as a therapeutic target for obese ER-positive patients. Korean clinicians say shifting family patterns may also be reshaping risk. “We are seeing earlier menopause among younger women today,” Shim said. “Delayed marriage and childbirth, a rise in never-married women, shorter or absent breastfeeding, and increasing use of fertility treatments all contribute to greater hormonal fluctuation. Many young patients present with health issues linked to extremely unbalanced lifestyles.” She added that “a growing number of underweight young women mistakenly believe they are overweight due to unrealistic beauty standards,” reinforcing the need for healthier weight perceptions. These contrasting biological pathways show that American and Korean women face opposite risk profiles: obesity drives hormone-dependent breast cancer after menopause in the West, while low BMI may trigger hormone-density spikes that push Korean women into earlier cancer onset. 2025-11-21 16:36:05 -
Samsung takes laid-back stance in HBM catchup with SK hynix on DRAM strengthening SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s two dominant memory names Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are showing signs of divergence and avoiding a head-on clash in the red-hot high bandwidth memory (HBM) market, with strengthening DRAM prices reducing the pressure to take risks. Samsung Electronics, a long-time frontrunner in DRAM until the rise of HBM powering AI chips, appears to be in no hurry to ramp up its lagging HBM capacity, holding output at 150,000 wafers per month from late 2025 to 2026 after identifying that margins in high-end DRAM are increasingly outpacing those of HBM. DRAM prices have been rising rapidly due to low yields, with chipmakers devoting most of their wafer space to HBM. “High-value DRAM profitability is now surpassing HBM, which reduces Samsung’s incentive to aggressively expand HBM capacity,” said Cha Yong-ho, analyst at LS Securities, adding that Samsung is positioning itself to “maximize profitability during the P-cycle (price strengthening cycle) rather than chase volume.” Samsung Electronics declined to confirm or deny. “We will ready capacity to readily address market changes as we expect mid- to long-term rise in demand," said a company official. The company has recently given a go-ahead to the structure work on Pyeongtaek Campus Plant 5, a project previously delayed due to unfavorable market conditions. The new line, dedicated to HBM production, is expected to become operational from 2028. The company official, however, disagreed to the reference of advanced chipmaking restricted to HBM these days. “High-value products refer to not only HBM, but also high-spec and high-capacity DRAM such as graphics DRAM. You can view our strategy in that broader context.” The company is prioritizing premium DRAM and next-generation HBM4 while continuing to build out its P4 and P5 fabs in Pyeongtaek using a flexible “first-shell” approach. SK hynix, enjoying its first-ever market dominance and hot earnings streak, meanwhile has all hands on deck in HBM, upping output from 150,000 to 200,000 wafers per month in 2026 upon increased orders from Nvidia. With HBM in structural shortage and Nvidia relying heavily on SK hynix for its AI accelerators, the company has little room to share capacity with general DRAM even as prices climb. SK hynix remains focused, regardless of the decisive strengthening in DRAM prices. "DRAM prices rose because suppliers focusing on HBM shifted wafer capacity to HBM, creating supply-side shortages. It’s more of a market phenomenon than a reason for us to adjust strategy. Our priority remains HBM," a company official said. HBM has already transformed SK hynix’s earnings structure: although it accounts for only 14% of DRAM shipments, it represents 44% of DRAM revenue and more than half of operating profit, driven by unit prices nearly five times higher than DDR5. Most of its HBM supply for 2025 is sold out, with 2026 volumes largely pre-committed. Reflecting the strength of the HBM cycle, the SK hynix official confirmed that “our HBM capacity for 2026 is already sold out.” This divergence reflects the broader transition into a P-cycle, where memory makers benefit more from higher selling prices than expanding output. Monthly HBM demand is expected to surpass one million wafers in 2026, while global supply remains around 400,000 wafers, reinforcing an extended period of tightness. DDR5 contract prices have already risen 165% from the start of 2025, underscoring how performance-oriented AI demand is reshaping the market. A key variable for the next investment cycle is China’s CXMT, whose expansion remains capped at 280,000 to 300,000 wafers per month through 2026 due to U.S. export controls restricting access to advanced DRAM equipment. Beijing’s third semiconductor investment fund is prioritizing equipment localization, raising expectations that CXMT may resume aggressive expansion in 2027 if domestic tools stabilize. Any such shift would force Samsung and SK hynix to restart large-scale capex to defend global market share, reviving Korea’s materials, parts and equipment suppliers. For now, the market is defined by divergence rather than direct rivalry: Samsung leaning into high-performance DRAM profitability during the P-cycle, and SK hynix fortifying its lead in HBM as AI infrastructure investment accelerates. 2025-11-19 17:01:20 -
Micron courts talents in its rivals' home turf as heat intensifies in memory sector SEOUL, November 18 (AJP) - The three-way memory race in the high-stakes AI battlefield has spilled onto South Korean campuses, as the U.S. contender Micron Technology aggressively hunts for engineering talent on its rivals’ home turf amid intensifying competition in advanced chipmaking. Micron has been posting multiple Korea-based engineering roles on LinkedIn — including HBM system architecture, DRAM product engineering, and logic-integration positions — and will hold a recruiting session at Seoul National University’s College of Engineering next month, along with visits to other top tech universities. The SNU event advertises Micron’s global talent programs, relocation tracks, and “fast-track” or on-site engineering recruitment. The company toured Seoul, Daejeon, and Busan last year in a similar talent drive. Micron’s push comes as demand for high-performance memory surges on the back of AI and hyperscale servers. The U.S. company produces high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for GPUs powering AI applications across three regions — design and development in the U.S., memory fabrication in Japan, and advanced packaging and testing in Taiwan. DRAM accounts for nearly 70 percent of Micron’s revenue, with most NAND output — the remaining 30 percent — manufactured in Singapore. Recruits from Korea largely join these Asian operations. According to Micron’s post on SNU’s job board, the Idaho-based company hired 98 graduates and soon-to-be graduates from Korea for its Taiwan operations last year. Micron declined to comment on its reasons for stepping up recruitment in Korea. Korean memory makers, however, are well aware of their U.S. rival’s intentions. “Talent competition among the three DRAM makers has always existed. Micron’s activity in Korea appears tied to the intensifying HBM race, but Korean companies are not yet worried about a meaningful drain of engineers,” said a source familiar with SK hynix’s HR affairs. Samsung Electronics also declined to comment. Still, both Korean chipmakers have recently strengthened compensation packages to hold on to skilled engineers. Graphics by AJP Song Ji-yoon Samsung Electronics, long the comfortable leader among the three companies that together command more than 90 percent of the global DRAM market, has been losing ground since HBM emerged as the defining metric of DRAM leadership in the hyperscale era. As of June 2025, SK hynix leads the HBM market with a 62 percent share, followed by Micron at 21 percent and Samsung at 17 percent. Micron — once a distant third — has surged on strong U.S. demand for HBM. The company is now targeting engineers with one to three years of hands-on experience in HBM packaging, through-silicon via (TSV) technologies, and DRAM design — a talent pool heavily concentrated in South Korea. Without stronger defenses, Korea’s chip supremacy — built on its high-quality engineering base — is at risk, experts warn. “Korean engineers are among the most attractive in the global market. Losing mid-career engineers to overseas companies will directly weaken Korea’s chip competitiveness,” said Ahn Ki-hyun, executive director at the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association. Micron, which is racing to narrow the gap with Samsung and SK hynix in HBM3E and HBM4, is simultaneously expanding engineering capabilities across Boise, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. Analysts say Micron must deepen its expertise in advanced packaging and DRAM-logic integration to compete in AI-era data-center memory — the fastest-growing segment in the semiconductor market. Korean universities have become a critical battleground, leveraging long-standing academic-industry networks that accelerate testing and commercialization of next-generation chips. 2025-11-18 17:34:23