$SK Hynix (000660.KR)$ / $CSOP SK Hynix Daily (2x) Leveraged Product (07709.HK)$ On the 4th, it was announced that SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won and Taiwan Semiconductor Chairman C. C. Wei met in Taiwan on the 3rd (local time) and agreed to strengthen collaboration, including the development of next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
SK hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor have maintained close cooperation in HBM manufacturing. The two companies are expected to continue their strong alliance in the next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) memory market, including customized HBM solutions.
SK hynix explained that the two leaders shared insights on the development trends of next-generation AI technologies during their meeting and held in-depth discussions on how to jointly lead the future AI ecosystem based on their solid partnership. This marked their first meeting since June 2024 and served as an opportunity to reaffirm the mutual trust built over many years.
SK hynix stated: 'The two companies have agreed to enhance comprehensive cooperation in advanced packaging, including the development of next-generation HBM, to nimbly respond to the evolving global AI market environment.'
Addressing supply chain bottlenecks in the global AI value chain has become a critical challenge. The combination of SK hynix’s industry-leading AI memory technology and Taiwan Semiconductor’s foundry capabilities is expected to provide effective solutions.
Looking ahead, the two companies plan to accelerate their efforts to secure a leading position in the 'customized AI memory' market to meet the diverse demands of global tech giants. SK hynix aims to reinforce its market leadership by promptly delivering high-performance products required for the AI era through close collaboration with Taiwan Semiconductor.
Korea's Dual Giants Battle for HBM5 Supremacy
$Samsung Electronics (005930.KR)$ / $CSOP Samsung Electronics Daily (2x) Leveraged Product (07747.HK)$ Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are regarded as the two titans of the memory semiconductor sector. At the 'Computex 2026' event held in Taiwan, they engaged in fierce competition for dominance in next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
SK hynix highlighted its close partnership with NVIDIA, with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won personally traveling to Taipei, the venue of the event, for a private meeting with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics unveiled its eighth-generation HBM5 memory prototype for the first time at the event.
On June 2, SK hynix posted a photo on its social media platform (SNS) showing Chairman Choi Ji-won alongside CEO Jensen Huang, showcasing their 'close relationship.' According to the company, Chairman Choi Ji-won met with Huang on June 1 to celebrate SK hynix surpassing a $1 trillion market capitalization. Senior executives from both companies also attended the meeting, during which they discussed comprehensive collaboration between the two firms.
Chairman Chey personally attended and oversaw these events, directly participating in NVIDIA’s annual developer conference, GTC 2026, held in San Jose, California, in March this year, as well as the ongoing Computex 2026 event.
Both events are of utmost importance to CEO Jensen Huang. In the race against Samsung Electronics for dominance in next-generation HBM chips, the group’s leader has taken a hands-on approach, engaging in what is known as 'CEO-led sales' by establishing direct and close relationships with clients.
During a press conference held on the second day of Computex Taipei, Chairman Choi also praised the strength of the semiconductor alliance. Regarding the tripartite alliance formed with NVIDIA and Taiwan Semiconductor, he expressed strong confidence in the development and ramp-up of next-generation products, stating, 'Better than ever before.'
Chairman Choi Ji-hyeong stated, 'We plan to double our wafer capacity within the next five years.' This marks the first time SK Group has publicly announced a specific target to double its total production capacity over a five-year horizon. When asked about the development progress of its seventh-generation product, HBM4E, he replied, 'Currently, there is only one customer for HBM4E, so everything depends entirely on the customer’s schedule.' He added, 'Once the customer is ready, we must be ready too—and we certainly will be.'
Not to be outdone, Samsung Electronics launched a counteroffensive on the same day at Computex Taipei, where Song Jae-hyuk, President and Chief Technology Officer of the Device Solutions (DS) Division, unveiled a prototype of its HBM5 memory for the first time. Having already commenced mass production and shipment of HBM4 and delivered samples of HBM4E, Samsung’s debut of the HBM5 model clearly demonstrates its technological competitiveness.
President Song emphasized, 'The advantage of Samsung’s HBM5 lies in its additional independent thermal pathways, which reduce thermal resistance and enhance operational stability.' He added, 'It will play a critical role in improving the overall efficiency of future AI systems.'
Notably, Samsung Electronics also showcased wafers and chipsets of HBM4E alongside the HBM5 prototype on the same day. Typically, directly presenting samples indicates that a product has entered mass production. Indeed, Samsung’s move underscores its technological leadership.
Editor/KOKO