SOUTH KOREA TO EXPAND CHIP OUTPUT BY 600K WAFERS BY 2028

South Korea's dominance in memory chip manufacturing will deepen as the nation pursues aggressive capacity expansion through the end of the decade. The projected 600,000-wafer monthly increase reflects continued investment from major producers Samsung and SK Hynix. China's CXMT, despite efforts to close the gap, will trail with a 300,000-wafer monthly increase. The disparity underscores South Korea's technological advantages and established supply chain infrastructure. Memory chips remain critical to global semiconductor supply chains, powering data centers, consumer electronics, and AI applications. South Korea currently commands roughly 40% of the global DRAM market and 50% of NAND flash production. The Bank of Korea's projections come amid ongoing semiconductor competition between nations. China has invested heavily in domestic chip production capacity but faces technological hurdles and export restrictions on advanced manufacturing equipment.