The US has reportedly adjusted export control procedures for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix operations in China, easing near term operational risks at their semiconductor plants by replacing case-by-case equipment approvals with an annual authorization process, according to industry sources cited by South Korean media.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake off Taiwan's eastern coast late on December 27 disrupted parts of the island's semiconductor supply chain, after several wafer fabs reported damage to quartz furnace tubes critical to diffusion processes, according to industry sources. While no structural damage to factories was reported, the incident has sharpened market attention on recovery timelines at major chipmakers, including TSMC, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), and Nanya Technology.
South Korea is on track to significantly increase semiconductor equipment investment in 2026 as rising demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced DRAM drives a new wave of capacity expansion, positioning the country to overtake Taiwan and regain second place globally behind China.
