Samsung Moves Up Yongin Chip Plant to 2029

According to Samsung Electronics, the company plans to accelerate the start of operations at its semiconductor manufacturing plant in Yongin, south of Seoul, to 2029 in response to growing demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The Yongin facility had originally been scheduled to begin production between 2030 and 2031. By moving the timeline forward by one to two years, Samsung aims to strengthen its ability to meet rising demand for high-performance memory devices, including DRAM and HBM technologies widely used in AI servers and data centers.

In June, Samsung and SK Hynix each announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in expanding domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity. The announcements followed a call by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung for measures to reduce regional economic disparities and strengthen the country’s industrial base.

The South Korean government’s broader strategy includes accelerating factory construction by Samsung and SK Hynix in Yongin, as well as establishing a new semiconductor industry cluster in Gwangju. The initiative aims to double South Korea’s memory chip production capacity within five years.

A Samsung Electronics spokesperson stated, “Samsung Electronics plans to begin operations at its first manufacturing plant in Yongin City in 2029, which is one to two years earlier than originally planned.”

The accelerated timeline underscores Samsung’s commitment to expanding advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity and supporting the global AI-driven demand for memory chips.