SK hynix to Introduce 12 Trillion Won Worth of ASML EUV Equipment, Accelerating Transition to Advanced Process Nodes

Responding to Growing AI Memory Demand Driven by HBM
Strengthening Production of AI Memory-Centric Products
Stable Expansion of General-Purpose Memory Supply

SK hynix is accelerating its production capacity expansion and transition to advanced processes by introducing EUV (extreme ultraviolet) equipment worth approximately 12 trillion won.

On March 24, SK hynix announced through a regulatory filing that it has decided to procure EUV scanners from Dutch equipment manufacturer ASML. The total acquisition amount is approximately 11.9496 trillion won, which is equivalent to 9.97% of its total assets as of the end of 2024. The transaction will take place over about two years, until December 2027, and includes not only the purchase of the equipment but also installation and modification costs.

This investment is seen as a response to rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory, centered on high bandwidth memory (HBM), as well as increased demand for general-purpose DRAM. The company plans to focus on supply stability, considering the steady growth in demand for general-purpose memory across downstream industries such as servers and mobile devices.

Aerial view of SK hynix M15X factory. SK hynix.

In particular, by introducing EUV equipment, SK hynix aims to accelerate the transition to the 6th-generation (1c) process and strengthen its product portfolio focused on AI memory. The 1c process, developed by SK hynix as a world first, will be applied to next-generation HBM, DDR5, LPDDR6, and other key products.

Previously, SK hynix secured its competitiveness in advanced processes by consecutively developing 1c DDR5 DRAM and LPDDR6. This process is characterized by improved productivity, enhanced power efficiency, and faster data processing speeds. In addition, the company is maximizing the production capacity of its Cheongju M15X plant ahead of schedule and has pushed forward the start of its second-phase cleanroom operations by two months compared to previous plans, further accelerating the expansion of its manufacturing base. The first fab in Yongin, scheduled to begin operations in February next year, will also be rapidly equipped with production infrastructure.

An SK hynix official stated, "Through the transition to EUV-based advanced processes, we will strengthen our competitiveness in AI memory and also reliably expand our supply of general-purpose memory. We are committed to solidifying our market leadership in response to surging global memory demand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.