SK Hynix to Double Wafer Capacity in 5 Years on AI Demand

The chairman of South Korea’s SK Group announced plans to double the wafer production capacity of its semiconductor unit, SK Hynix, within the next five years. Chey Taewon made the statement on Tuesday while attending the Computex technology conference in Taipei, citing persistent and surging demand for memory chips driven by the artificial intelligence boom.

Chey reaffirmed his previous forecast that a global shortage of memory semiconductors could extend through 2030. He pointed to expanding AI deployments, increasing investments in AI data centers, and the emergence of AI-powered personal computers as primary drivers of the sustained demand. The chairman acknowledged significant challenges in scaling production, noting that constructing a new fabrication plant requires enormous investment and takes at least three years, with greenfield projects potentially exceeding five years.

The announcement marks the first time SK Group has publicly committed to this specific capacity target. While Chey declined to provide a detailed capital expenditure figure, he stated the company would secure whatever funding is necessary and confirmed that SK Hynix’s spending in 2026 would rise...