Korea Tech Daily — 2026-04-24
SK Hynix set a record-breaking quarterly profit with a five-fold jump in earnings, declaring that AI chip demand now exceeds its manufacturing capacity — the dominant story in Korean tech today. Meanwhile, Nvidia made its first-ever investment in a Korean startup, backing KAIST-founded interconnect specialist Point2 Technology in a $76M Series B extension, and 16 single-stock leveraged ETFs tracking Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are set to debut next month.
Korea Tech Daily — 2026-04-24
Top Story
SK Hynix Posts Record Quarterly Profit; AI Demand Outstrips Supply
SK Hynix delivered a landmark earnings report, posting a five-fold jump in quarterly profit and declaring that AI chip demand now exceeds its manufacturing capacity — a statement that sent confidence signals across global memory markets. The company also announced a ₩19 trillion ($12.85 billion) investment in a new South Korean plant focused on advanced packaging for AI memory, with construction starting this month. The results assuaged concerns about slowing AI spending by major tech firms and positioned SK Hynix firmly as the lead supplier to the AI infrastructure boom.
Samsung · SK Hynix · LG
Samsung Workers Rally Over Pay Gap with SK Hynix, Threaten Extended Strike
Tens of thousands of Samsung Electronics workers held a large rally at a factory complex south of Seoul, venting frustration over compensation gaps compared to rival SK Hynix. The union has threatened a lengthy strike that could disrupt AI chip production. Workers are pressing Samsung to follow SK Hynix's example of sharing the company's massive profits.
Samsung and SK Hynix Race to Upgrade China NAND Plants
As the AI boom reshapes global computing demand, both Samsung and SK Hynix are moving to upgrade their manufacturing plants in China to meet rapidly tightening supply in both DRAM and NAND flash segments. The memory chip industry is entering a new phase of structural strain and restructuring, with multiple supply chains under pressure simultaneously.
Samsung and SK Hynix Executives Enter '100 Billion Club'
With chipmaker stocks surging on AI tailwinds, 173 non-owner executives at Samsung and SK Hynix have seen their stock-based compensation exceed ₩1 billion, with three individuals crossing the ₩100 billion mark — underscoring how the semiconductor boom is creating outsized wealth inside Korea's largest chipmakers.
16 Leveraged ETFs on Samsung, SK Hynix Set to Launch Next Month
Eight Korean asset management firms will launch 16 single-stock leveraged and inverse 2x ETFs tracking Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix next month, with the Korea Exchange approving the debut as early as May 22. Some firms are considering ultra-low 2 basis-point fee structures. The products are expected to increase volatility in both stocks and may impact option pricing. Weekly options on both stocks, along with Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution, are also planned for daily Monday-through-Friday expiration starting June.
Naver · Kakao · LINE
No breaking Naver, Kakao, or LINE news was published after 2026-04-22 in the available research results. The most recent confirmed reports predate the coverage window.
Editor's note: Research results for this section returned articles dated January 2026 and February 2026 — outside this issue's 24-hour coverage window. A shorter, factually accurate article is preferable to hallucinated content. Verified coverage of Naver and Kakao will appear in the next issue when fresh data is available.
Startups & Investment
Nvidia Backs Korean Startup Point2 Technology in First-Ever Korea Investment
Nvidia's venture arm NVentures made its first-ever investment in a Korea-based startup, participating in a $76 million Series B extension round for Point2 Technology, a deep-tech firm founded by KAIST researchers. Point2 is developing e-Tube interconnect technology, which addresses high-bandwidth data transfer bottlenecks in AI accelerator systems. The round also drew participation from other major tech investors, marking a significant vote of confidence in Korea's AI chip ecosystem.
Korea AI Chip Startups Attract $1.5B+ as 'K-Nvidia' Thesis Gains Traction
Korean fabless chip designers including Rebellions, FuriosaAI, and DeepX have collectively raised over $1.5 billion, drawing attention from global investors betting on a Korean alternative to Nvidia in AI inference hardware. A Seoul-based fabless chip designer quietly announced a new funding milestone in late March, contributing to what analysts are calling the "K-Nvidia" investment thesis. The combination of KAIST and Samsung-affiliated talent pools, plus government backing for domestic semiconductor R&D, is fueling the momentum.
Policy & Industry
SK Hynix $13B Korea Plant Investment Signals Domestic Capacity Push
SK Hynix's announcement of a ₩19 trillion ($12.85 billion) investment in a new South Korean manufacturing facility for advanced packaging — with construction already underway — represents a major commitment to domestic capacity expansion. The investment is designed to meet surging global AI memory demand, particularly for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) used in Nvidia GPU clusters. The new plant builds on SK Hynix's already-announced $387 billion US chip fab and cements South Korea's role as a global AI memory hub.
What to Watch
- Samsung strike risk: The Samsung union has threatened a prolonged strike after Thursday's factory rally. Watch whether Samsung management offers a new profit-sharing package or whether disruptions to HBM and NAND production materialize in the coming week.
- Leveraged ETF debut: The 16 Samsung/SK Hynix 2x leveraged ETFs are scheduled to debut as early as May 22. Market observers will track whether retail demand amplifies volatility in Korea's two biggest tech stocks and how regulators respond to early trading patterns.
- Point2 Technology & Korea AI chip ecosystem: Following Nvidia NVentures' first Korea startup investment, watch for further international venture activity in Korean deep-tech. Rebellions and FuriosaAI are reportedly exploring additional funding rounds ahead of potential product commercialization milestones in H2 2026.
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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