South Korean industry and government officials are monitoring a new trade agreement between the US and Taiwan that links semiconductor investment to import duty exemptions, with officials in Seoul saying that any future US-South Korea talks should not leave Korea worse off than Taiwan. Officials view the terms as a potential benchmark for future US-South Korea trade negotiations
As the global memory market enters a prolonged upcycle, South Korea's two leading memory chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are expected to post record operating profits in 2026. Combined operating profit could exceed KRW300 trillion (approx. US$210 billion), roughly double the level recorded in 2025
Surging demand for AI hardware is prompting memory makers to reassess their product portfolios as resources shift toward higher-margin enterprise and data center markets. Following Micron's decision to exit its Crucial consumer business late last year, market speculation has emerged that SK Hynix may also be reviewing its exposure to consumer-grade memory products
