Korea Tech Daily — 2026-09-25
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly eyeing a combined ~190 trillion won in Q3 operating profits on surging AI memory demand, while their massive Gwangju chip cluster is targeting mass production by June 2030. Meanwhile, Korea's startup funding has surged 207% this year, and Naver Z workers staged a second walkout over a wage freeze.
Korea Tech Daily — 2026-09-25
Top Story
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are expected to post record third-quarter profits of roughly 190 trillion won combined (~111.8 trillion won for Samsung, ~78.1 trillion won for SK Hynix) thanks to strong demand for AI memory chips. Separately, the two companies aim to begin mass production by June 2030 at their 800 trillion won ($592 billion) memory chip cluster in Gwangju, backed by new power and water infrastructure. The figures underline how the AI memory boom has become the engine of the Korean economy and its stock market.
Samsung · SK Hynix · LG
- Gwangju cluster mass production targeted for June 2030 — Samsung and SK Hynix's 800 trillion won memory cluster in Gwangju, supported by new power and water infrastructure, is slated to begin mass production by June 2030.
- Record Q3 profits expected — Estimates point to about 111.8 trillion won in operating profit for Samsung and ~78.1 trillion won for SK Hynix in Q3 2026 on AI memory demand.
- Top investors pile into chipmakers — Korea's top 1% ultra-high-net-worth investors net purchased SK Hynix, Naver, Samsung Electronics, and Samsung SDI most heavily on September 23.
Naver · Kakao · LINE
- Naver Z workers stage second walkout — About 120 unionized employees at Naver's metaverse affiliate staged their second collective action this year, protesting a company-wide wage freeze.
- Top investors buy Naver — Ultra-high-net-worth investors named Naver among their largest net purchases on September 23, alongside the chipmakers.
No further fresh Naver/Kakao/LINE-specific news was available in the past 24 hours.
Startups & Investment
- Startup funding surges 207% — Korean startups secured $3.86 billion across 344 equity rounds between January and September 2026, up 207.54% year-on-year, driven by AI and deep tech.
- Biotech venture funding tops 2025 total — Korean biotech drew 1.93 trillion won through September, already exceeding all of 2025, with pre-IPO funding up 131%.
Policy & Industry
- Brokerages to curb leveraged chip bets — The Korea Financial Investment Association and 10 major brokerages unveiled strengthened self-regulatory measures capping margin loans and limiting single-stock concentration, directly targeting leveraged positions in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
What to Watch
- Actual Q3 earnings from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, versus the ~190 trillion won combined estimate
- Progress on infrastructure buildout for the Gwangju chip cluster ahead of the 2030 mass production target
- Resolution of the Naver Z wage dispute after the second walkout
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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