Samsung's Lee to host gala in Washington with Lutnick invited amid renewed tariff threat SEOUL, January 27 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is due in Washington, D.C., this week amid renewed tariff threat from President Donald Trump, raising attention on whether tycoon can serve as an informal business-diplomatic channel. Lee’s visit comes after Seoul emerged as the latest target of Trump’s tariff offensive, with the U.S. president warning overnight on social media of sweeping tariff hikes to 25 percent on South Korean exports, citing delays in Korea’s National Assembly approving a bilateral trade agreement reached last year. Lee is scheduled to host a gala on Jan. 28 (local time) tied to a special exhibition of his late father and group chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection at Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) in Washington D.C. before this week's closing. Among the VIPs are U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as well as other key figures from Congress, White House and business circle. The entire Lee family will be there, mother Hong Ra-hee, honorary director of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art; sisters Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla; and Lee Seo-hyun, president of Samsung C&T. The gathering comes at a sensitive time. Lutnick oversees the Trump administration’s tariff policy. Attendance could be affected by weather conditions. Heavy snowfall in the U.S. East forced the Smithsonian Institution to temporarily close all museum facilities on Jan. 25 and 26. The gala marks the successful launch of what organizers describe as the largest exhibition of Korean antiquities in North America in more than 40 years, highlighting the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s cultural vision. “Korea’s Treasures: Collecting, Cherishing, Sharing,” the first overseas touring exhibition of donated works, opened on Dec. 15 for run through Feb. 1. The exhibition is drawn from more than 23,000 works donated to the government in 2021 by the family of the late Kun-hee Lee, the longtime chairman of Samsung. Lee was best known as the business leader who transformed Samsung Electronics into one of the world’s leading electronics companies, but at home in Korea he was also known as a devoted art collector. 2026-01-27 12:52:24

Korean metals company LS MnM posts record revenue in 2025 SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - South Korean metals company LS MnM posted record results last year, with revenue approaching 15 trillion won, supported by higher metal prices and the dollar's strength. In a regulatory filing released via parent company LS Corp., Thursday, LS MnM reported revenue of 14.94 trillion won in 2025, up 23.3 percent from a year earlier. Net profit rose 39.9 percent to 106.7 billion won. The company said profitability improved even as fees for refining copper cathodes declined sharply from the previous year, citing a significant rise in metal prices and favorable currency movements. It also pointed to the registration of its flagship copper cathode product on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which marked its entry into the U.S. market. Operating profit, however, fell 29.2 percent from a year earlier to 224.8 billion won. LS MnM attributed the decline to more stable exchange-rate conditions during the year. In 2024, a widening gap between exchange rates applied to raw material purchases and finished product sales had boosted operating profit, the company said. The company said it is operating business systems designed to reduce earnings volatility stemming from fluctuations in exchange rates and metal prices, adding that profit before corporate income tax provides a more appropriate measure of its underlying performance than operating profit. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-22 10:00:51

Nomura flags heavy US investment burden for Samsung Electronics, SK hynix SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics and SK hynix may need to invest between 100 trillion won and 120 trillion won ($74–89 billion) in the United States from 2027 to 2030 to secure tariff exemptions, according to a new analysis by Nomura Securities. That would translate into annual investment of about 25 trillion won to 30 trillion won, or roughly a quarter of the two companies’ combined annual memory chip capital expenditure, estimated at 120 trillion won to 140 trillion won, the report said. Nomura said tariff-exemption terms agreed between the United States and Taiwan are likely to be applied similarly to South Korea, making expanded U.S. investment by Korean memory chipmakers difficult to avoid. Under arrangements reached during the Trump administration, Taiwanese companies building new semiconductor production facilities in the United States can receive tariff exemptions covering imports of up to 2.5 times their production capacity while construction is under way. After a facility is completed, imports of up to 1.5 times the new capacity can be exempted from tariffs. Nomura noted that Samsung has already committed about $37 billion (54.4 trillion won) to U.S. foundry investments, while SK hynix has invested roughly $3.9 billion (5.7 trillion won) in U.S. packaging facilities. However, the brokerage said those investments are unlikely to be sufficient to fully secure tariff exemptions. The report said the companies may need to expand memory production capacity in the United States, potentially at the expense of planned investment in South Korea. Nomura estimated that, due to higher labor and operating costs, production costs at U.S.-based memory plants would be at least 40 percent higher than in South Korea. “The ultimate impact on profitability depends on the supply-demand environment,” it said, adding that under similar conditions, higher costs are likely to be passed on to end customers. Assuming operating profit margins for Korea-based production remain as high as 70 percent during a supply shortage, Nomura estimated margins at U.S. facilities could reach up to 58 percent. On a consolidated basis, that would imply overall margins in the mid-to-high 60 percent range. Nomura said uncertainty over tariffs could weigh on share prices in the short term. However, if the memory supercycle continues through at least 2027, the negative impact from additional U.S. investment is likely to be limited in the short to medium term. The long-term impact would also remain contained if chipmakers maintain disciplined capital spending and solid profitability, it added. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-21 15:17:20

Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold wins top honors at CES 2026 SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said Monday its Galaxy Z TriFold device won top honors at CNET’s Best of CES 2026 Awards, taking the overall “Best Product” prize as well as the “Best Mobile Tech” award. CNET, a U.S.-based technology outlet and an official partner of the Consumer Technology Association, works with the CTA to select winners from products unveiled at the annual CES. More than 40 technology experts evaluated entries showcased at CES 2026, Samsung said. Judges selected 63 winners across 22 categories based on criteria including innovation, usefulness in solving consumer problems, and overall performance and quality. From that group, one product is named the show’s top overall offering. CNET said the Galaxy Z TriFold combined “an eye-catching design with real-world practicality,” describing it as “a true hybrid product” that merges the functions of a full-size tablet and a smartphone in a slim, foldable form. The outlet said Samsung’s efforts to refine foldable devices had “paid off,” helping advance mobile hardware design. Samsung also took top honors in the “Best TV or Home Theater” category with its premium OLED television, the S95H. CNET called the model “one of the standout TVs at CES 2026,” citing brightness levels up to 35 percent higher than the previous generation. The S95H was also recognized as Samsung’s first OLED television to incorporate burn-in prevention technology, a feature that enables extended viewing of static images, including access to more than 5,000 artworks available through the Samsung Art Store in ultra-high definition. In the “Best Home Audio” category, CNET selected Samsung’s Music Studio 5, which made its debut at CES 2026. The product drew attention for its design by French furniture designer Erwan Bouroullec, known for his collaboration with Samsung on the lifestyle television The Serif. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-12 13:45:09

Samsung heir Lee Ji-ho assigned to Navy mine warfare unit as interpreter officer SEOUL, January 11 (AJP) -UL — Ensign Lee Ji-ho, the eldest son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, has been assigned to the South Korean Navy’s 5th Mine Countermeasures and Amphibious Operations Flotilla, according to military and industry sources on Saturday. Lee will serve as an interpreter officer in the flotilla’s information and operations staff office. The unit, which operates directly under the Navy Operations Command, specializes in mine warfare and amphibious operations and frequently conducts combined exercises with foreign forces, including the U.S. military. In his role, Lee is expected to provide real-time interpretation and translation during operational briefings and joint command-level communications involving overseas forces. Born in the United States, Lee previously held dual South Korean-U.S. citizenship. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to fulfill South Korea’s mandatory military service as a commissioned naval officer. Under current law, dual nationals may retain foreign citizenship if serving as enlisted soldiers, but must give it up to serve as officers. Lee entered the Navy in late September as part of the 139th class of officer candidates and completed approximately 11 weeks of training at the Naval Academy. He was commissioned as an ensign in late November and has since begun active-duty service. His scheduled discharge date is Nov. 30, 2028. This marks the first time a member of the Samsung founding family has served as a commissioned military officer. 2026-01-11 15:16:52

South Korea's Taihan wins power grid contract in California SEOUL, January 07 (AJP) - South Korea’s electricity equipment maker Taihan said on Wednesday that its U.S. subsidiary, T.E.USA, has secured a contract worth about 100 billion won ($77 million) to supply equipment for a 230-kilovolt extra-high-voltage power transmission project in the United States. The project involves construction of a new 230-kV transmission line in the Riverside area of Southern California and is aimed at meeting rising electricity demand while ensuring a stable power supply during emergencies, the company said. Taihan said it will execute the project on a full turnkey basis, covering the entire process from design and manufacturing to installation, splicing, testing and final commissioning. The company said that as power grid upgrades and large-scale infrastructure investment accelerate across the United States, Taihan plans to leverage its local subsidiary and branch network to expand projects nationwide. The latest contract reflects growing recognition of its quality and technical competitiveness, built through the successful execution of previous U.S. projects, Taihan said. The firm has won all 500-kV high-voltage alternating current transmission projects it has bid for in the United States and has also participated in technically demanding work, including a 320-kV high-voltage direct current project and the replacement of aging power grids in major U.S. cities. 2026-01-07 09:55:15

How a Samsung project helped save Korea's provisional government in Shanghai SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - When South Korean President Lee Jae Myung steps into a modest brick building in Shanghai on Wednesday during his state visit to China, he will be entering a carefully restored fragment of Korean history — one preserved not by a government initiative, but by an idea that began decades ago inside a corporate office at Samsung C&T. Restoration of the site — once home to Korea’s provisional government during Japan’s colonial rule — was completed more than 30 years ago, not with a government directive or diplomatic accord, but with an internal proposal submitted by an employee of Samsung C&T. In the late 1980s, as Samsung C&T prepared to enter the Chinese market, the company invited employees to submit ideas for cultural and social contribution projects. One proposal stood out. Lee Jae-cheong, then a sales manager in the firm’s distribution division, had recently returned from a business trip to Shanghai. While there, he visited a dilapidated building that had once housed Korea’s government-in-exile, which operated from July 1926 to April 1932 before relocating to Hangzhou. Years of private use had taken their toll. The structure was severely damaged, its original form barely recognizable, its historical significance largely obscured. Lee proposed that Samsung C&T take the lead in restoring the site. His idea was selected in the company’s internal contest and, after receiving management approval, became what Samsung later called the “Sungsan Project.” The effort soon evolved into a complex undertaking that required careful diplomacy, historical research and logistical coordination at a time when formal channels between the two countries were limited. Samsung C&T conducted preliminary studies to determine whether restoration was feasible and worked with South Korea’s Ministry of Culture and the Independence Hall of Korea to authenticate historical details. In 1991, the company signed a restoration agreement with the Shanghai municipal government — a notable step given the absence of full diplomatic relations at the time. To accelerate construction, Samsung C&T also covered relocation costs for residents living in the building. Using archival records and historical research, the company reconstructed the interior to reflect the late 1920s, collecting period-appropriate tables, chairs and beds. Rooms were recreated to resemble the provisional government’s meeting hall, office spaces, reception room, kitchen and living quarters for key independence figures. The restored building officially reopened on April 13, 1993, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of Korea’s provisional government. About 100 people attended the ceremony, including descendants of independence activists whose lives had once been intertwined with the site. Today, as South Korea’s president prepares to walk through its halls, the Shanghai site stands not only as a symbol of the nation’s independence movement, but also as a reminder that corporate initiatives — sometimes sparked by a single employee — can play an unexpected role in preserving national memory far beyond the balance sheet. 2026-01-06 14:45:42

SK hynix bets on HBM4 to maintain market lead in AI memory SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - SK hynix vowed on Monday to extend its leadership in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market this year, as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates globally. Citing industry data from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, the South Korean chipmaker said in a press release that the global semiconductor market will grow 26.3 percent from a year earlier to about $975 billion this year. The memory segment is expected to exceed $440 billion, accounting for 45.1 percent of the total market, SK hynix said. Bank of America has described 2026 as a semiconductor “supercycle” comparable to the boom of the 1990s, forecasting year-on-year growth of 51 percent in global DRAM revenue and 45 percent in NAND flash. Average selling prices are projected to rise 33 percent for DRAM and 26 percent for NAND, the bank said. Demand for AI-oriented memory, led by HBM, is expected to grow rapidly from 2025 through 2028. BOA estimates the global HBM market will reach $54.6 billion in 2026, up 58 percent from a year earlier, with some forecasts suggesting the HBM market in 2028 could surpass the size of the overall DRAM market in 2024. SK hynix said it plans to build on its fifth-generation HBM product, HBM3E, to maintain market leadership as the industry transitions to sixth-generation HBM4 in 2026. The company said HBM3E is increasingly being selected as an “optimal solution” as global technology companies expand custom chip development, citing Nvidia’s Blackwell Ultra AI accelerator series as well as projects by Google and Amazon Web Services. According to Counterpoint Research, SK hynix ranked first in the HBM market with a 62 percent share of shipments as of the second quarter of 2025 and a 57 percent share by revenue in the third quarter. Goldman Sachs has said SK hynix is likely to retain a dominant position in HBM3 and HBM3E through at least 2026 and maintain more than a 50 percent share of the overall HBM market. SK hynix said it secured the world’s first mass-production system for HBM4 in September and is strengthening cooperation with Taiwan's TSMC on advanced packaging technology. The company is also building its Cheongju M15X fabrication plant and establishing a dedicated HBM technology organisation, alongside new global AI research centres and production infrastructure, to meet rising AI memory demand. UBS has forecast that SK hynix could capture about 70 percent of the HBM4 market used in Nvidia’s next-generation “Rubin” platform in 2026. 2026-01-05 13:49:30

Earthquake in Taiwan, home to TSMC and Micron fabs, to add boon to Korean chipmakers SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -A powerful level-4 earthquake in Taiwan, home to a large share of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity, has renewed concerns over supply-chain vulnerability and could ultimately strengthen the competitive position of South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, analysts said. Some semiconductor fabrication plants in Taiwan temporarily halted operations after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck the island on Saturday. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) activated emergency protocols, evacuating workers at facilities in the Hsinchu Science Park and conducting inspections of equipment and clean rooms. Based on TSMC's statement to local media, no damage has been reported yet, with all plants operating at full capacity and the status of the affected facilities was restored within just ten hours after the earthquake. The quake was the latest in a series of strong earthquakes to hit parts of the Pacific Ring of Fire since October, including areas near Taiwan and Japan, underscoring the region’s seismic risk. Taiwan accounts for roughly 70 percent of global contract chip manufacturing, hosting major players such as TSMC, UMC and Powerchip. The island also houses Micron Technology’s DRAM production facilities. Micron produces about 16 percent of the world’s DRAM, according to industry estimates. While companies are still assessing the impact, analysts project prolonged disruptions could alter competitive dynamics with its closest rival, Samsung Electronics. Semiconductor manufacturing is highly sensitive to interruptions: even brief stoppages can force wafer scrapping and lead to significant financial losses, particularly at advanced nodes. The risk is most acute in leading-edge processes such as 3-nanometer chips, where TSMC and Samsung are among the few global producers and where supply disruptions can influence customer allocations and long-term contracts. TSMC has previously disclosed sizable losses linked to natural disasters. After a magnitude-7.2 earthquake in April last year, the company estimated losses of about $60 million, while earlier incidents — including a major power outage in 2021 and an earthquake in 2022 — also led to wafer losses and tens of billions of won in damages, according to company disclosures and industry reports. The latest quake could also strengthen the negotiating position of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in DRAM pricing talks. If Micron, which produces a large share of its memory chips in Taiwan, experiences output constraints, global memory supply could tighten, supporting higher prices. That would likely provide a tailwind for South Korean suppliers’ earnings next year, analysts said. Historical precedent supports that view. After Japan’s 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, prices of memory products such as DRAM and NAND flash rose more than 20 percent in the short term as markets priced in supply disruption risks. Over the longer term, repeated reminders of seismic and geopolitical risks are expected to reinforce efforts by global technology firms to diversify semiconductor supply chains away from excessive dependence on Taiwan. Online journal Foreign Policy recently noted that major earthquakes highlight how concentrated advanced chip manufacturing remains in a geographically vulnerable location, underscoring broader strategic risks. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are set to start mass production next year of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) for Nvidia’s next-generation artificial intelligence accelerators. Japan’s Nomura Securities recently raised its forecast for Samsung Electronics’ operating profit next year to 133.4 trillion won, citing continued AI-related investment and expanding server demand, and noting that pricing power in the memory market is gradually shifting from buyers to suppliers. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-29 05:55:03

Samsung Electronics maps 2026 strategy with focus on AI, China ties, foldables SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is setting its business strategy for 2026 amid prolonged global economic uncertainty, with artificial intelligence, cooperation with Chinese partners and leadership in foldable smartphones emerging as key priorities. The company said on Wednesday it is holding global strategy meetings from Dec. 16 to 18. The Device eXperience (DX) division, which oversees smartphones, TVs and home appliances, is scheduled to meet on Dec. 16–17, followed by the Device Solutions (DS) division, which covers semiconductors, on Dec. 18. The meetings are led by Roh Tae-moon, head of the DX division, and Jeon Young-hyun, vice chairman and head of the DS division, with more than 300 executives taking part. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is expected to receive a briefing on the discussions. Lee recently met Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su in the United States as part of efforts to strengthen partnerships with major global technology companies. In semiconductors, Samsung is seeking to regain momentum in AI-related chips by upgrading technology and boosting production capacity. The company is competing with domestic rival SK hynix in the supply of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in Nvidia’s AI processors, while also exploring the possibility of manufacturing AMD’s next-generation central processing units using its 2-nanometer process. Samsung is also pushing to expand AI-driven manufacturing at its semiconductor plants, including through its newly established Digital Twin Center, which is designed to improve efficiency by simulating production processes. Industry watchers said a recent U.S. decision to allow exports of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to China could support Samsung’s AI memory sales in the Chinese market. In its display and components businesses, Samsung is looking to deepen cooperation with Chinese partners. Yong Seok-woo, president and head of Samsung’s Visual Display Business, recently met Chen Yanshun, chairman of Chinese display maker BOE Technology Group, to discuss expanding supplies of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, according to industry sources. In smartphones, Samsung is facing intensifying competition in the foldable segment from Chinese rival Huawei and from Apple, which is widely expected to enter the foldable market in the coming years. Samsung aims to lift sales of its next-generation Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip models by around 10 percent from their predecessors, the sources said. The company is also working to maintain its technological edge in foldables by refining form factors and reducing device thickness and weight, as competition accelerates across the premium smartphone market. 2025-12-17 14:37:17