South Korea's Big Moves: Tech Giants Boost Local Investments Amid Global Shifts

South Korea's tech giants are stepping up their game at home. Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor have just announced major investment plans within the country. This comes right after a big trade deal with the U.S., which has some people worried about investments flowing overseas.

Samsung's Massive Investment

Samsung is putting a lot of money into a new chip production line in Pyeongtaek. This is part of a huge 450 trillion won investment over the next five years. The new factory will make memory chips, which are in high demand because of the AI boom. Samsung's chairman, Jay Y. Lee, said they will create jobs and support smaller companies.

Hyundai Motor Group's Commitment

Hyundai Motor Group is also investing big—125.2 trillion won from 2026 to 2030. Other companies like Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai are making investment plans too. South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, met with business leaders and asked them to keep investing at home.

The P5 Plant: A Strategic Move

The new Samsung factory, called the P5 plant, was delayed last year because demand for chips slowed down. But now, with AI driving up demand, Samsung is ready to start mass production in 2028. They are also planning more infrastructure to support their operations.

Rising Demand and Pricing

Samsung has already raised prices for some memory chips by up to 60% compared to last September. This shows how much demand has grown. The company says they want to be ready for the long-term demand in memory semiconductors.