The Secret of the 250 Trillion Won Jackpot — Samsung and SK Hynix on the Frontlines of the AI Memory War

Engineers wearing cleanroom suits are inspecting the memory production process in a semiconductor cleanroom. Driven by exploding AI demand, the Korean semiconductor industry is executing record-breaking facility investments. [Photo = Korea Business Review DB] Semiconductors Have Stopped Being Mere 'Components' There has long been an established formula in the semiconductor industry. When demand clusters, prices rise; when prices rise, supply increases; and when supply overflows, prices plummet—a cyclical pattern known as the 'Silicon Cycle.' Semiconductor companies have spent decades oscillating between booms and busts on top of this wave. However, this formula is now breaking down. The year 2026 is projected to be recorded as the inaugural year when a new paradigm called 'AI memory' clearly separates the winners and losers in the market, going beyond a mere industry recovery. While the …