Samsung and SK hynix Boost Semiconductor Facility Investment by 35% in 1H26 Driven by AI Demand

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix significantly increased their semiconductor facility investments in the first half of 2026, with a combined KRW 43.198 trillion (approximately $32.5 billion USD), marking a 35.1% year-over-year rise. This surge is primarily driven by the escalating demand for AI, prompting both companies to accelerate capacity expansion and advanced-process upgrades, particularly for next-generation memory technologies like HBM. Samsung invested KRW 25.603 trillion in its Device Solutions division, while SK hynix's investment reached KRW 17.595 trillion, focusing on HBM, high-capacity DRAM, and enterprise SSDs.