CHEONGJU — SK hynix Inc. is set to increase production of next-generation DRAMs at its new fabrication plant, M15X, in Cheongju, as demand surges for AI-driven semiconductor technologies.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a board meeting on Wednesday resolved to invest 5.3 trillion won (US$3.85 billion) to transform the M15X facility into a DRAM manufacturing hub.
The decision follows a prior commitment in 2022 to spend 15 trillion won over five years on constructing and outfitting the M15X fab, an extension of the existing M15. Although construction was paused in April of last year due to a downturn in the chip market, it is slated to resume by the end of this month, with completion targeted for November next year. SK hynix projects that demand for specialized DRAMs, such as High Bandwidth Memory crucial for high-performance computing and AI applications, will increase by over 60 percent annually. The company also expects a steady rise in demand for standard DRAMs, driven by high-capacity DDR5 modules for servers.