Semiconductor News 20260223

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1. U.S. Tariff Ruling Unconstitutional Ripples Impact Trade Policy and Asian Allies
   The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that President Trump’s tariff policies are unconstitutional has caused ripples in global trade policy. While the ruling puts some curb on U.S. “trade dominance of power,” it is analyzed that the limitation of tariff authority will increase China’s bargaining power and upset its Asian allies. While the direct impact on South Korea’s major exporters is expected to be limited, there is growing alarm over alternative measures and an uncertain trade environment.
2. India’s Emergence as a Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub, Tata’s Wafer Fab Construction Plan Delayed
   With the Indian government pushing hard for semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) projects, a wafer fab construction plan led by domestic giant Tata is reportedly facing schedule uncertainties. While India is expected to become a new global supply chain hub as multinationals continue to invest in the country, practical challenges associated with large-scale infrastructure construction and process start-up are surfacing.
3. Samsung Electronics Reclaims DRAM Crown, Semiconductor Division Targets 50% Profit Margin
   Samsung Electronics has reclaimed the top spot in the global DRAM market for the first time in a year. In conjunction with this, the company’s semiconductor division has set an extremely high operating profit margin target of 50% and announced a policy of increasing its focus on highly profitable products, a powerful strategic shift aimed at optimizing the supply capacity of highly profitable advanced products and securing a dominant lead in the intensifying memory development competition amid soaring memory prices on the back of surging AI demand. This is a powerful shift in strategy aimed at securing a dominant leadership position in the intensifying memory development competition.
4. Paradigm Shift to Next-Generation AI Memory “HBF” in Full Swing
   In the memory market, which determines the performance of AI semiconductors, the transition to the “HBF” (High-Bandwidth Fabric) era is being discussed, looking further ahead than the current mainstream of high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Korean experts point out that it is not too late for major manufacturers such as Samsung and SK Hynix to adapt to this next-generation architecture: as AI models grow in size, there is an urgent need to develop technologies that will fundamentally transform the connectivity of entire systems.
5. Renesas and GlobalFoundries Form Multi-Billion Dollar Manufacturing Alliance
   Renesas Electronics of Japan and GlobalFoundries of the United States have agreed to a new multi-billion dollar partnership agreement, further deepening their cooperation in semiconductor manufacturing. Through this partnership, Renesas will leverage its overseas manufacturing facilities to establish a long-term, stable production system for critical components. This is a representative example of how to build a robust supply chain in the face of increasing geopolitical risks.
6. SK Group Chairman Predicts SK Hynix Net Profit to Exceed 145 Trillion W on
   Choi Tae-won, chairman of South Korea’s SK Group, has made a bold prediction that the net profit of his company SK Hynix could exceed 145 trillion won. The statement confirms that the market leader is riding a historic super-cycle as demand for next-generation memory such as HBM, which is essential for AI infrastructure, is exploding. Stronger partnerships with tech giants are behind this tremendous revenue growth forecast.
7. China’s Ruso Semiconductor Succeeds in Manufacturing 12-inch SiC Single Crystals
   China’s Ruso Semiconductor has reportedly succeeded in manufacturing 12-inch silicon carbide (SiC) single crystals, which are expected to become the next-generation power semiconductor material. Simultaneous progress has been made in both the conductive and semi-insulating areas, indicating that Chinese companies are rapidly increasing their manufacturing capabilities in the field of advanced compound semiconductors. This is an important technological breakthrough for ensuring domestic production and autonomy in the supply chain in the face of ongoing U.S. technology restrictions.
8. Increased M&A activity in the semiconductor industry is changing the supply-demand structure for memory
   Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are becoming more active throughout the semiconductor industry, causing major changes in the supply-demand structure, especially in the memory chip market, as demand for AI and data centers puts pressure on general-purpose memory production quotas, Companies are rushing to secure market share and expand their technology portfolios. This trend indicates an acceleration of industry consolidation to enhance competitiveness as the industry enters a new growth cycle.
9. Amazon Report Reveals Hackers Exploit AI to Compromise Firewalls
   Amazon reports that hacker groups have compromised as many as 600 firewalls worldwide in just five weeks by exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) AI technology has been used to automate and advance cyber attacks. The threat of AI technology being used to automate and advance cyber attacks is now a reality, forcing companies and infrastructure security measures to take on a new dimension, including the creation of advanced AI-based defense systems.
10. Samsung Galaxy S26 Enhances Experience with AI Search “Perplexity ”
    Samsung Electronics has announced plans to add Perplexity, an interactive AI search engine, to its upcoming flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S26. This will allow users to enjoy a more advanced and intuitive AI search experience directly on their mobile device. The race to enhance “on-device AI” capabilities for advanced on-device processing is becoming even more intense in the smartphone market.

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