[News] Memory Giants Race Ahead: SK hynix Targets 2029 Yongin Y2 Cleanroom; Samsung Advances P5, P5 Fab 2

Amid surging demand for AI memory, SK hynix is accelerating its capacity expansion strategy with a major investment push across both DRAM and NAND. The company announced today that its board has approved a combined investment of approximately 54.3 trillion won, including 35.2 trillion won for the Yongin Y2 fab and 19.1 trillion won for the Cheongju M17 fab.

The Yongin Y2 fab will become the second of four fabs planned for the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, following the first fab (Y1), which is scheduled to begin initial cleanroom operations in February 2027, SK hynix said, adding that the Y2 facility will serve as a dedicated DRAM production hub spanning 341,000 pyeong (approximately 1.13 million square meters).

Construction of Y2 is set to begin in July next year, with the first cleanroom targeted for completion in June 2029, as noted by SK hynix. According to Hankyung, the investment also covers supporting infrastructure, including employee facilities, an Integrated R&D Center, and key utilities such as water treatment systems, utility tunnels, substations, and warehouses.

Notably, SK hynix aims to complete all four fabs in the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster by 2033, accelerating the original timeline by 12 years from the previously planned 2045 completion target, Hankyung adds.

SK hynix Targets Late-2028 Cleanroom Debut for M17 NAND Fab

On the other hand, SK hynix noted that it selected Cheongju as the site for its new NAND fab, M17, due to its ability to enable faster construction and quicker production ramp-up. The Cheongju Campus already operates the M11, M12, and M15 fabs, providing advantages through existing manufacturing infrastructure, the company said.

According to SK hynix, the Cheongju M17 fab will span 206,000 pyeong (approximately 680,000 square meters). Construction is scheduled to begin in February next year, with the first cleanroom targeted for completion in December 2028. According to its plan, investment in the project will continue through April 2031.

Samsung Fast-Tracks Pyeongtaek DRAM Buildout

Meanwhile, Samsung is accelerating its DRAM expansion at the Pyeongtaek campus. According to Sisa Journal, the company began main construction of Pyeongtaek Plant 5 (P5) in July, with the exterior structure already completed. The project is reportedly about six months ahead of its original schedule.

Notably, the report suggests Samsung is also preparing to launch construction of P5 Fab 2, previously known as Plant 6. By advancing construction of both P5 and P5 Fab 2 in parallel, Samsung aims to accelerate the buildout of a large-scale advanced DRAM manufacturing hub in Pyeongtaek. According to Sisa Journal, the combined production capacity of P5 and P5 Fab 2 is expected to rival that of Samsung’s four existing fabs, P1 through P4.

The accelerated construction reflects Samsung’s broader push to expand advanced memory capacity. The company originally planned to build P5 and P5 Fab 2 sequentially from 2028 to 2029 but shifted to a parallel construction approach following a government request, Sisa Journal suggests. Samsung is also working to shorten the completion timeline for six fabs in the Yongin National Industrial Complex by seven years, bringing it forward from 2047 to 2040, according to Sisa Journal.

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(Photo credit: SK hynix)