SK Hynix, a major semiconductor company, announced on February 25 that it will invest 21.6 trillion Korean won ($15 billion) to build new facilities for its first semiconductor fabrication plant in the Yongin semiconductor cluster. This investment will take place from March 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030, bringing the total investment in the plant to W31 trillion ($22 billion). This includes the W9.4 trillion ($7 billion) investment announced in July 2024.
As part of the investment, SK Hynix will add five new clean rooms, bringing the total number of clean rooms to six. Clean rooms are precisely controlled environments where semiconductors are manufactured. The company plans to open the first clean room earlier than expected, now targeting February 2027 instead of May 2027, due to high demand for semiconductors.
The new facility will include four semiconductor fabrication plants at the Yongin site, which were initially planned in 2024. This investment is focused at addressing the escalating global demand for high-performance semiconductors, driven by the expansion of industries like artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and high-performance computing.
The move also supports South Korea's goal of becoming the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing hub. By 2030, South Korea focused to increase its self-sufficiency in the semiconductor supply chain to 50% and capture 10% of the global semiconductor market. The government announced a W26 trillion ($18 billion) investment in 2024 to support semiconductor research, workforce training, and infrastructure projects like roads and power supply to speed up the development of the Yongin cluster.