Why a memory chip glut could be Korea's weapon against China

What happened: A Korean semiconductor expert, Kim Hyung-joon, said planned memory fab expansions by Samsung, SK hynix and Micron could let them serve both AI and cheaper memory segments, challenging China's CXMT. Key numbers: Current memory shortage estimated at 30-40 percent. Samsung DRAM wafer capacity about 720,000 a month, SK hynix 550,000, Micron 300,000 to 400,000. Why it matters: Kim said added capacity could let Korean makers redirect output to conventional DRAM, regain customers lost to CXMT and constrain its growth, turning oversupply into a competitive weapon.

A Korean semiconductor expert, Kim Hyung-joon, said planned memory fab expansions by Samsung, SK hynix and Micron could let them serve both AI and cheaper memory segments, challenging China's CXMT.

Kim said added capacity could let Korean makers redirect output to conventional DRAM, regain customers lost to CXMT and constrain its growth, turning oversupply into a competitive weapon.