Journalist

Jo Seung-jun
  • SK hynix to set up U.S. AI solutions unit, overhaul Solidigm to merge NAND and AI
    SK hynix to set up U.S. AI solutions unit, overhaul Solidigm to merge NAND and AI SK hynix plans to establish a U.S.-based artificial intelligence solutions company tentatively named “AI Company,” while significantly restructuring its local NAND business. The company will reposition its subsidiary Solidigm as a holding entity for AI solutions and create a new “AI NAND solutions” operating unit under Solidigm to run NAND operations jointly with SK hynix. SK hynix said in a statement posted to its newsroom on Tuesday that it is pursuing a plan to reorganize Solidigm — which changed its name in February — as the central entity of the AI Co. structure. Under Solidigm, SK hynix would set up a new corporation responsible for NAND and SSD products for AI data centers. The goal is to combine SK hynix’s NAND technology with Solidigm’s enterprise SSD capabilities under one organization to strengthen storage solutions for AI data centers. The company said the restructuring is intended to extend its technology leadership in AI memory, including high-bandwidth memory, into storage and system solutions, moving beyond being a memory manufacturer to become a key partner in the AI data center ecosystem. SK hynix said it also plans strategic investments and partnerships with companies with AI capabilities to grow AI Co. into a solutions provider spanning the full range of data center needs. SK hynix pointed to growing investment by global big tech companies in data centers and changes in semiconductor and system architectures to secure an edge in AI. It said the importance of high-performance SSDs and storage solutions is rising alongside memory performance, as large volumes of data must be stored and processed reliably. SK hynix said it sees an opportunity to expand its influence across AI infrastructure by combining its experience leading the HBM market with NAND and enterprise SSD technology. The company said it is also considering ways to expand investment and collaboration with U.S. AI innovators through AI Co. and connect those efforts to AI synergies across the SK Group. It said it aims to develop AI Co. into a global hub for AI cooperation aligned with the group’s AI- and semiconductor-focused investment strategy. SK hynix said it expects the global network and technology collaboration built through AI Co. to help strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s AI and semiconductor industries as global competition intensifies. SK hynix said it plans to contribute up to US$10 billion to AI Co. through capital calls. The funds are intended for mid- to long-term investment covering AI memory, AI storage and broader data center solutions. “Establishing AI Co. is a strategic move to secure diverse opportunities in the AI data center ecosystem ahead of the next AI era,” the company said. “We will work closely with key partners in the United States to create the value customers need ahead of demand.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:33:00
  • SK hynix plans U.S. AI solutions unit to expand role in AI data centers
    SK hynix plans U.S. AI solutions unit to expand role in AI data centers SK hynix said Tuesday it is pushing ahead with plans to set up an AI solutions company in the United States, tentatively named “AI Company,” or AI Co. The company said it aims to move beyond being a memory chip maker and become a key partner in the AI data center ecosystem, building on its competitiveness in AI memory technologies such as high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. It said it will pursue strategic investments and partnerships with companies that have AI capabilities, strengthen its memory competitiveness and grow AI Co. into a business that can provide solutions across the AI data center sector. Global big tech companies have been competing aggressively to secure leadership in AI through investment and business restructuring, SK hynix said. With memory performance increasingly seen as a key factor in easing AI data bottlenecks, broader cooperation is needed to optimize AI systems, it added. SK hynix said it is considering using AI Co. to invest in AI innovators in the U.S. and expand collaboration, while linking capabilities gained there to synergies across SK Group. It also said the effort could help strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s AI and semiconductor industries, citing the value of a global network and experience in technology cooperation as global competition intensifies. AI Co. will be created by reorganizing Solidigm, which has positioned itself as a key player in AI data centers through high-capacity enterprise SSDs, the company said. Solidigm’s corporate name is SK hynix NAND Product Solutions Corp. Solidigm will establish a subsidiary and transfer its business, and its corporate and company names will be changed later, SK hynix said. The new subsidiary will use Solidigm Inc., AI Co.’s current company name, as its corporate name to maintain business continuity. SK hynix said it plans to contribute US$10 billion depending on AI Co.’s capital calls. “Establishing AI Co. is a step to secure various opportunities in the AI data center ecosystem ahead of the next AI era,” SK hynix said. “We will work closely with key AI partners in the United States and create value customers need ahead of time.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:12:00
  • NAND Flash Supply Tightens as Chipmakers Prioritize HBM, Raising Costs for Businesses and Consumers
    NAND Flash Supply Tightens as Chipmakers Prioritize HBM, Raising Costs for Businesses and Consumers As the semiconductor industry shifts investment toward high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and other high-performance DRAM, a deepening shortage of NAND flash is expected to squeeze both corporate buyers and consumers. Industry officials said Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have recently concentrated equipment and staff on expanding HBM and converting to advanced DRAM processes, while keeping new NAND investment and line expansions to a minimum. As a result, global NAND supply growth is expected to remain in the low single digits this year, creating a gap that is not keeping pace with demand. Prices are already rising. TrendForce said enterprise NAND used in server SSDs rose an average 15% to 20% in the first quarter, with an additional 5% to 10% increase expected in the second quarter. NAND used in mainstream consumer SSDs rose about 10% on average in the first quarter, and some high-capacity products have seen increases of more than 15%. The increases are directly raising procurement costs for corporate customers. NAND-based storage and system-chip customers including Kioxia, Western Digital and MediaTek are struggling to secure contracted volumes, and some are increasing spot purchases, according to industry officials. Global cloud providers that buy large volumes of data center SSDs are responding by renegotiating annual pricing contracts or adjusting shipment schedules. In the server market, the shortage is affecting system configurations. Some enterprise SSD lead times have reportedly stretched from six to eight weeks to 10 to 12 weeks or more. Some small and midsize data center operators are also shifting specifications from high-capacity SSDs to mid- and lower-capacity products that are easier to obtain. The impact is also showing up in consumer markets. Major PC and laptop makers in South Korea and overseas have raised launch prices for new models by about 3% to 7% to reflect higher SSD costs. Smartphone makers are widening price gaps among storage options, passing costs on to buyers, with the biggest increases concentrated in models with 512GB or more. Changes are also emerging in retail channels. Major online shopping sites have sharply reduced discounts on 1TB and 2TB SSDs, and some brands have faced longer restocking waits for popular models due to uneven supply. Many in the industry expect NAND supply to normalize only after the second half of this year. Analysts also see signs of a longer-term shift. As memory makers steer investment toward higher-margin HBM and premium DRAM, NAND could become structurally less flexible on supply over the medium to long term, raising the possibility that price strength could persist beyond a short-term spike. An industry official said, "As long as investment remains centered on HBM, NAND expansion will be limited, and price pressure is likely to persist, especially for enterprise SSDs and high-capacity consumer products."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:04:00
  • Why SK Group Is Channeling More Capital to SK hynix: HBM4 Supply and Long-Term Lead
    Why SK Group Is Channeling More Capital to SK hynix: HBM4 Supply and Long-Term Lead SK hynix has cemented its role as a core profit engine for SK Group after posting record results again in the fourth quarter of 2025. As demand tied to artificial intelligence accelerates, industry watchers say the group’s growth strategy is increasingly being reshaped around SK hynix, not just short-term earnings. According to the industry on Tuesday, SK Group has secured about 80 trillion won through asset sales and business restructuring and is focusing that money on future growth areas such as AI and semiconductors. A large share is being spent on SK hynix, linking the group’s divestments directly to the chipmaker’s capital spending and efforts to strengthen its technology edge. The funding push tracks SK hynix’s recent performance. From the first through third quarters of 2025, the company set new quarterly records for revenue and operating profit each quarter. Preliminary fourth-quarter results announced Tuesday also marked all-time quarterly highs for both revenue and operating profit, and full-year 2025 revenue and operating profit hit record levels as well. The steady rise has fueled views that the company has moved beyond a cyclical rebound into a more structural growth phase. SK hynix is widely said to account for about 80% of SK Group’s operating profit. The group’s earnings base, once led by telecom and energy, is now increasingly anchored by semiconductors, pushing investment priorities toward SK hynix. That shift is reflected in capital spending. SK hynix is expected to expand this year’s capital investment to the 30 trillion won range, aiming to get ahead of surging demand for high-value memory used in AI servers. The approach contrasts with past, more cautious moves tied to swings in the memory market, as the company prioritizes long-term market leadership over near-term profitability. A key focus is high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. SK hynix is seeking to extend its lead from HBM3E into next-generation HBM4. It is widely reported to have signed supply deals with major big tech customers, including Nvidia, securing a significant share of HBM4 volumes. Some in the industry estimate it has more than half, with others putting the figure at about 70%. Industry assessments attribute the momentum not only to pricing but also to mass-production yields, stable quality and supply reliability. SK hynix is also investing in early development for post-HBM4 products and strengthening joint validation and customized development with customers, aiming to position itself as a key partner in AI infrastructure rather than a simple supplier. “SK Group’s money is flowing to hynix not because of short-term results, but because it has the clearest growth engine for the next 10 years,” an industry official said. “As long as it maintains leadership in HBM4 and the AI memory market, the group’s investment strategy is likely to keep revolving around hynix.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 17:30:15
  • SK hynix posts record annual and fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit
    SK hynix posts record annual and fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit According to a filing on the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system on Tuesday, SK hynix posted annual revenue of 97.1467 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2063 trillion won last year. That was up 46.8% and 101.2%, respectively, from a year earlier, setting record highs for both revenue and operating profit on an annual basis. Fourth-quarter revenue totaled 32.8267 trillion won, and operating profit was 19.1696 trillion won. The figures rose 66.1% and 137.2% from the same period a year earlier, also marking quarterly records for both revenue and operating profit. The company attributed the gains to surging demand for high-performance semiconductors such as high-bandwidth memory, as the AI era accelerates. By business line, DRAM revenue from HBM more than doubled from a year earlier, while the company maintained competitiveness in mainstream DRAM by moving into full-scale mass production of 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation (1c-nanometer) DDR5. In NAND, it completed development of 321-layer QLC products in the first half and focused on demand for enterprise SSDs in the second half, achieving record annual revenue for the segment. Market expectations compiled earlier by financial data firm FnGuide had projected revenue of 95.2590 trillion won and operating profit of 44.5024 trillion won, meaning SK hynix beat forecasts on both measures. 2026-01-28 16:54:31
  • SK hynix posts record quarterly operating profit of 19.2 trillion won in Q4
    SK hynix posts record quarterly operating profit of 19.2 trillion won in Q4 SK hynix posts 19.2 trillion won in Q4 operating profit, a quarterly record* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:45:00
  • SK hynix posts record annual revenue of 97.1 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2 trillion won
    SK hynix posts record annual revenue of 97.1 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2 trillion won Breaking: SK hynix posts record annual revenue of 97.1 trillion won and operating profit of 47.2 trillion won* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:42:24
  • SK hynix Q4 revenue tops 32 trillion won, a quarterly record
    SK hynix Q4 revenue tops 32 trillion won, a quarterly record SK hynix Q4 revenue tops 32 trillion won, a quarterly record SK hynix said its fourth-quarter revenue topped 32 trillion won, setting a record for the company’s quarterly sales.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:39:00
  • SK hynix posts record annual operating profit of 47.2 trillion won
    SK hynix posts record annual operating profit of 47.2 trillion won SK hynix reported an annual operating profit of 47.2 trillion won, its highest on record. 2026-01-28 16:36:18
  • South Koreas LS Electric sees record orders, earnings on power infrastructure boom
    South Korea's LS Electric sees record orders, earnings on power infrastructure boom SEOUL, January 27 (AJP) - South Korean power equipment company LS Electric said on Tuesday it posted record revenue and operating profit in 2025, driven by strong growth in its North American business and rising demand for power infrastructure. The company said consolidated revenue rose 9 percent from a year earlier to 4.96 trillion won, while operating profit increased 9.6 percent to 426.9 billion won. Fourth-quarter revenue climbed to a record 1.52 trillion won, with operating profit also reaching an all-time high of 130.2 billion won. LS Electric attributed the gains to expansion in its global business, led by power systems for large technology companies’ data centers in North America and its ultra-high-voltage transformer operations. The company also cited a selective order strategy focused on higher-margin projects. Orders related to data center power systems exceeded 1 trillion won last year as it expanded sales in the North American power distribution market. The ultra-high-voltage transformer business also recorded an increase in new orders, mainly in the United States, supported by expanded production capacity following the completion of its second plant in Busan. Revenue from North America surpassed 1 trillion won for the first time in 2025, rising about 30% from a year earlier and emerging as a key growth driver, the company said. LS Electric also reported solid performance in Southeast Asia, citing increased power infrastructure investment in markets such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Simpors, an Indonesian power equipment company acquired in 2023, posted double-digit growth in operating profit. The company said its order backlog reached a record level of about 5 trillion won at the end of 2025. Ultra-high-voltage transformer orders accounted for roughly 2.7 trillion won, more than half of the total. New orders during the year totaled about 3.7 trillion won, the highest annual level in the company’s history. An LS Electric official said the data center power systems and ultra-high-voltage transformer businesses in North America marked the company’s entry into an era of 1 trillion won in regional revenue. The official said LS Electric plans to strengthen its position as a global total power solutions provider in 2026 by focusing on next-generation businesses such as high-voltage direct current systems and energy storage systems, while expanding into Europe and the Middle East. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-27 13:45:29