A central bank report released on Friday indicates that South Korea is set to widen its competitive edge in memory chip manufacturing, driven by aggressive domestic facility expansions from major players like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. According to the findings, the new fabrication plants coming online are projected to boost the nation's monthly wafer capacity by roughly 600,000 units by the year 2028.
During this same timeframe, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), China's premier memory chip producer, is expected to increase its monthly wafer output from the current 300,000 wafers to approximately 600,000 wafers. The company is currently in the process of building a new fabrication facility in Shanghai. The report highlights a potential long-term structural challenge for South Korea's market share, as Chinese manufacturers elevate their self-sufficiency rates and reinforce their domestic supply chains.
Looking specifically at advanced memory technologies, the central bank anticipates that South Korea will maintain its technological superiority for the coming years. In a related development from June, the South Korean government unveiled an ambitious long-term investment initiative valued at a minimum of 880 billion US dollars. This program, which involves corporate participation from Samsung Electronics, SK Group, and Naver, is designed to concentrate on semiconductor capacity expansion, AI data center construction, and the development of Physical AI infrastructure. The joint objective for the government and participating companies is to double the nation's memory production capacity within a five-year period.
New data from Counterpoint Research shows that ChangXin Memory Technologies secured a 10% revenue share in the global DRAM market during the second quarter of 2026, officially cementing its position as the world's fourth-largest DRAM supplier. Among the leading producers, Samsung Electronics continues to dominate the global DRAM sector with a 39% market share. SK Hynix experienced a decrease in market share, falling from 39% in the same period last year to 26%, yet its quarterly revenue still grew by an impressive 214% year-over-year. Micron holds the third position with a 25% share, maintaining a tight competitive landscape.
Comments