SK Hynix disputed reports that it is considering shifting DRAM investment at its new M15X memory production base in Cheongju, South Korea, from fifth-generation 10nm-class, or 1b, DRAM toward sixth-generation 10nm-class, or 1c, DRAM

A looming strike at Samsung Electronics is exposing deeper fractures than a typical labor dispute, with widening pay gaps, divisional tensions, and a controversial bonus structure converging into a broader test of how AI-era profits are distributed inside one of the world's most critical semiconductor suppliers

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are both riding a historic memory upcycle, but a profit gap of about KRW15 trillion (approx. US$10 billion) has opened between the two Korean chipmakers, driven largely by commodity DRAM rather than high-bandwidth memory (HBM), according to Sedaily

Spot memory prices surged in early 2026, triggering stockpiling and speculative buying across distribution channels, before reversing from a March peak. DDR4 DRAM spot prices have since corrected by more than 20% quarter-over-quarter, yet lower prices have failed to revive demand. With holidays approaching, buyers remain on the sidelines, while contract memory prices continue to climb