RAM SHORTAGE COULD PERSIST UNTIL 2030

The world's three largest memory chipmakers—Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron—are expanding production capacity, but most new fabrication plants won't become operational until 2027 at the earliest, with some delayed until 2028. SK Hynix opened a fab in Cheongju in February, marking the only near-term production increase among the major suppliers. The gap between supply and demand will force manufacturers to make difficult allocation choices across industries reliant on DRAM chips. The prolonged shortage reflects both surging global demand for memory chips and the significant time required to construct and operationalize semiconductor fabrication facilities. The capital-intensive nature of fab development means supply constraints will persist even as companies aggressively pursue expansion.