According to ettoday.net (July 10, 2026), SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung predicted that the global memory industry will face its worst supply shortage in history in 2027. He stated directly that "the global memory industry will face its worst-ever supply shortage in 2027."
Evidence:
According to ettoday.net, the CEO indicated the imbalance extends well beyond a single year. He said that "even beyond 2030, customer demand will still be higher than our supply capacity" — a span reaching into the next decade.
Evidence:
According to technews.tw, two external views align with SK Hynix's warning. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said AI memory shortages will persist for several years on strong demand, and reiterated that SK Hynix will maintain its position as the largest memory supplier. Separately, UBS expects the global DRAM industry to remain in a supply-deficit state through the second quarter of 2028.
Evidence:
Both ettoday.net and technews.tw report that SK Hynix's 2025 operating profit hit a record KRW 47 trillion (about USD 31 billion). According to technews.tw, this figure doubled versus the prior year and reversed the operating loss recorded in 2023.
Evidence:
According to technews.tw, the market estimates SK Hynix's single-quarter operating profit for April–June 2026 will reach KRW 65.5 trillion.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 operating profit | KRW 47 trillion (~USD 31 billion) | ettoday.net / technews.tw |
| 2026 Q2 (Apr–Jun) estimated operating profit | KRW 65.5 trillion | technews.tw |
| 2023 operating result | Operating loss | ettoday.net |
Evidence:
According to technews.tw, SK Hynix is aligning with the South Korean government's plan by joining Samsung Electronics, with each company investing KRW 400 trillion (about USD 266 billion) to build chip production facilities in southwestern South Korea. The stated goal is to double South Korea's memory capacity within five years. Separately, SK Hynix is investing about USD 4 billion to build an advanced chip packaging plant in Indiana.
Evidence:
Beyond fabs and packaging, according to technews.tw, SK Hynix plans to invest USD 10 billion to develop an AI solutions company in the United States, seeking new AI growth momentum.
Evidence:
According to technews.tw, Bank of America estimates that, driven by continued infrastructure investment, global hyperscale cloud service providers' capital expenditure in 2027 will reach USD 1.15 trillion.
Evidence:
The evidence lines up on timing and direction. SK Hynix's CEO points to 2027 as the worst-ever shortage year (E1), while UBS sees DRAM undersupply lasting through Q2 2028 (E19) and Jensen Huang expects AI memory shortages for several years (E18). On the demand side, Bank of America's USD 1.15 trillion hyperscaler capex estimate for 2027 (E20) sits alongside the same 2027 shortage date. On the supply side, SK Hynix's KRW 400 trillion South Korea plan targeting a capacity doubling in five years (E14, E15), the USD 4 billion Indiana packaging plant (E16), and the USD 10 billion US AI investment (E17) are the company's stated responses. The financial backdrop — a record KRW 47 trillion 2025 operating profit reversing the 2023 loss (E7, E8, E9), and a KRW 65.5 trillion Q2 2026 estimate (E10) — shows the scale of resources behind these commitments.
According to ettoday.net (July 10, 2026), CEO Kwak Noh-Jung predicted the global memory industry will face its worst-ever supply shortage in 2027 (E1).
A record KRW 47 trillion (about USD 31 billion), doubling year-on-year and reversing the 2023 operating loss, per ettoday.net and technews.tw (E7, E8, E9).
SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are each investing KRW 400 trillion (~USD 266 billion) in South Korea to double capacity within five years, plus about USD 4 billion in Indiana and USD 10 billion for a US AI solutions company, per technews.tw (E14, E15, E16, E17).
According to UDN Money and CNA reports, the second phase of Chiayi Science Park held its groundbreaking ceremony on July 12, 2026. The site spans about 90 hectares and is expected to complete overall development by 2031. TSMC will build 3 more advanced packaging plants there, adding to the 2 already set up in Phase 1.
According to CNA and MoneyDJ citing The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration treats reviving Intel as a semiconductor strategic priority, using government funding and policy to help it compete with TSMC in advanced packaging. The U.S. government converted a USD 9 billion federal grant into roughly 10% equity, becoming Intel's largest single shareholder. Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also asked Apple to use Intel foundries.
According to udn Money and CNA reports, Taiwan's stock market halted trading July 10 due to Typhoon Bawi and reopens July 13. During the closure, US indices rose—the PHLX Semiconductor Index gained 3.12%. But Foreign Institutional Investors sold NT$47.132 billion on July 9, a sixth straight session of net selling, and the US launched its third round of airstrikes on Iran this week, adding uncertainty to any catch-up move.