SK hynix CEO Kwak emphasized the company’s contribution to Japan’s semiconductor memory industry and is considering deepening cooperation with Kioxia. A strategy to balance competition and cooperation between Japan and South Korea is under discussion.
CEO Kwak emphasized the company’s contribution to Japan’s semiconductor industry and indicated an intention to pursue its involvement with Kioxia not only by expanding its equity stake, but also by balancing cooperation and competition. Deepening cooperation is being discussed as part of a strategy focused on competition in the memory market in the age of AI.
With US capital potentially able to influence Kioxia’s voting rights, it has been pointed out that the holder owns CBs convertible into nearly all of Kioxia’s voting rights and, in principle, will be unable to hold more than 15% of the voting rights by 2028.
Regarding expansion into Japan, it is considering building a memory plant in Miyagi Prefecture. Although no final decision has been made, the aim is reportedly to strengthen cooperation with Japanese materials and equipment companies.
Competition in the NAND market is intense in both Japan and South Korea, while growing demand for AI-focused SSDs is seen as a shared growth opportunity. SK hynix has announced plans to invest approximately KRW 54 trillion in new DRAM and NAND plants in 2026, seeking to increase its influence in the AI memory market by balancing cooperation and competition.