🇰🇷🇺🇸🇨🇳 SK Hynix Ties US Plant to China Exports

Reuters reported on Oct. 14 that SK Hynix is seeking Washington’s approval to export more US-made chip equipment to its Dalian, China facility, with that access set as a condition for expanding NAND production at a future US plant. The request centers on unused space at the Dalian factory, where subsidiary Solidigm wants to install additional tools to make NAND flash chips.

The case sits at the intersection of US industrial policy and semiconductor export controls. The Trump administration has pressed foreign chipmakers including SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics to build in the United States, while Dalian’s NAND lines rely on equipment from major US suppliers including Lam Research, Applied Materials, and KLA.

SK Hynix said it is not considering a capacity expansion at the Dalian Mod B plant built in 2023, adding that equipment introduction is proceeding under consultations and licensing requirements with the US government. Solidigm declined comment, and the US Commerce Department did not respond.

#SouthKorea #UnitedStates #China

@asianomics