Hynix Semiconductor has agreed to pay US$3.32 million to settle a claim in the US accusing the company of price-fixing on memory chips, according to a US court record.

Under the terms of the agreement, government officials said Samsung must build four manufacturing plants in Ontario, promising 16,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next five years.

MoneyToday, citing unnamed industry sources, said that Samsung was expected to set this year's capital expenditure for the semiconductor business at about 7 trillion won (US$6.1 billion). The Korean vendor is also planning a new chip production line in its domestic plant, marking the first time in years that it would add a line.

A settlement between Samsung Electronics Co. (005930.SE) and Rambus Inc. (RMBS) in their long-running legal battles could push co-defendents Micron Technology Inc. (MU) and Hynix Semiconductor Inc. (000660.SE) to do the same, instead of risking billions in potential damages.

Samsung Electronics and Rambus have reached an agreement settling all claims between them and the licensing of Rambus' patent portfolio for all Samsung semiconductor products.

"Samsung Group will invest 26.5 trillion won (US$23.61 billion) and Samsung Electronics will spend 18.4 trillion won," said the official who declined to be identified.

The case in San Francisco County Superior Court centers on allegations by Rambus that Micron Technology, Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor illegally conspired to boycott technology developed by Rambus and took other actions to block its acceptance.

The settlement could lead to improved cameras in Samsung mobile phones.

The world's largest manufacturer of computer memory chips and flat screen TVs has predicted an operating profit of up to US$3.44 billion for the fourth quarter of 2009 after racking up its first ever loss a year earlier. It did not give a net profit estimate.

Major South Korean exporters all got a nice boost from the weakness of the country's currency in the past two years. But with the Korean won gaining strength, will Korean exporters begin to lose some of the market share they accumulated in the past year?

Lee Kun-hee is to be pardoned so he can return to the International Olympics Committee and help South Korea's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. The former chairman of Samsung was convicted of embezzlement and tax evasion.

Stock market insiders say Samsung Electronics will easily achieve an operating profit of more than two trillion won (US$1.71 billion) and Hynix of more than 600 billion won for the quarter.