SK Hynix Says It Has Not Decided Whether to Build Semiconductor Production Facilities in Japan
In a 6-K regulatory filing, SK Hynix said that it has not yet decided whether to build semiconductor production facilities in Japan. The company responded to media reports about its possible plan to build a factory in Japan. SK Hynix said: “To strengthen the competitiveness of its memory chip business, the company is evaluating various options, including adding production facilities, but no decisions have been made as of now.” The company said it will further disclose relevant information when specific details are confirmed, or within one month after the release of this report.
AI Supercycle Sparks a Wave of Shareholder Returns! Samsung May Return Up to 110 Trillion Won, and Korea’s Stock-Market Valuation Logic Faces Reshaping
Driven by the AI memory-chip supercycle, Samsung Electronics is returning value to shareholders with unprecedented intensity. On August 21, the company— the world’s largest memory-chip manufacturer—held a board meeting and officially approved its 2026 shareholder return plan, which is expected to return between 90 trillion and 110 trillion won to shareholders over the full year (about US$65–80 billion). Not only does this figure set a new record for shareholder returns in Korean corporate history, it also propels Samsung into the ranks of global dividend-and-buyback giants—its scale is approaching Apple’s US$110 billion stock repurchase plan approved in 2024.
After SK hynix unveiled a buyback plan, Samsung plans to return up to $80 billion to shareholders
Key highlights Samsung Electronics said on Friday it expects the funds available for shareholder returns in 2026 to reach 90 trillion to 110 trillion won. Samsung said the figure sets a record high for Korean companies. Just days before the release of this announcement, SK hynix disclosed a plan for a stock buyback, and the two leading South Korean chipmakers have rolled out large-scale shareholder return measures one after another, sending shockwaves through the market this week. After SK hynix unveiled its stock buyback plan, Samsung Electronics also put forward a package of shareholder return measures, marking a major week for shareholder return policies among South Korea’s chip giants.
Korean Storage Giants Deliver a Major Payout to Shareholders! Could the Won’s Uptrend Get a Key Boost?
An unprecedented shareholder return plan from Korea’s two largest storage chip giants is gradually becoming a key factor influencing the won’s走势. If these two companies raise funds in the local currency market to support their shareholder return plans, the won may be able to extend its recent uptrend. SK hynix (SKHY.US) announced on Wednesday that it will repurchase and cancel shares worth 400 trillion won (about $28.6 billion), and will use more than 50% of the free cash flow generated between 2025 and 2027 to enhance shareholder returns. According to people familiar with the matter, SK hynix has also reached an agreement in a preliminary salary pact, planning to pay 60% of this year’s employee bonuses in the form of company stock, with the remaining 40% paid in cash.
Apple’s first foldable screen is coming! A wave of PCB price hikes is spreading! 长电科技’s Q2 net profit soars 90%! The Consumer Electronics ETF Huayutianfu (159178) that tracks the underlying index was up nearly 2% at one point.
On August 21, the A-share market traded in a narrow range. Driven by the overnight broad gains in U.S. memory stocks and strength in two major Korean memory giants, A-share memory chip stocks rose. CPO concept stocks surged, while PCB concept stocks fluctuated and then strengthened. As of 14:25, the consumer electronics ETF Huayutianfu (159178) tracking the “PCB + storage” exposure index—after rallying, the target index on the Guozheng Consumer Electronics Theme Index pulled back; it traded sideways with gains and losses in the red. It surged nearly 2% at one point, and is now up more than 1%! Most constituent stocks of the Consumer Electronics ETF Huayutianfu (159178) that track the underlying index are moving higher: Luxshare Precision is up nearly 3%, Dongshan Precision and 三环集团 are up more than 2%, BOE and 佰维存储 are up nearly 2%, GalaxyCore Technology is up more than 1%, and Shenghong Technology and TCL Technology are up slightly. On the downside, 江丰电子 and 长电科技 are down by nearly 1%.
Rumor: SK Hynix (SKHY.US) plans to invest tens of trillions of Korean won to build a plant in Japan, potentially setting a precedent for South Korea’s semiconductor investment in Japan
According to industry sources cited by foreign media on Friday, SK Hynix (SKHY.US) is considering building a memory chip production facility in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The project’s investment scale could be on the order of tens of trillions of Korean won. It is reported that SK Group chairman Choi Tae-won recently visited the region—an area that has been designated by the Japanese government as one of the semiconductor industry clusters. Along with Kyushu and Hokkaido, the region has been designated by the Japanese government as one of the three major semiconductor industry core bases. According to people familiar with the matter, SK Group chairman Choi Tae-won recently personally went to the region to conduct an on-site inspection.
AI computing power connectivity ushers in a new solution! SK hynix proposes a “light-centric” CPO architecture — CPO sector market performance and earnings move in sync
(Source: Caiwen) CPO concept sector’s average gain within the year reached 89.69%, with a total of 15 stocks whose prices more than doubled within the year On August 21, the CPO sector was active in the morning session. A-share stocks such as Xuguang Electronics (600353.SZ) hit the daily trading limit by closing at limit-up, while stocks including Taiseng Optical (300570.SZ), Corety Technology (002957.SZ), and NeoPhotonics (300502.SZ) were among the leading movers by percentage gain. According to statistics, the CPO concept sector’s average gain within the year reached 89.69%. A total of 15 stocks saw their prices double within the year. The sector’s top gainers included Wasion (002980.SZ), Kexiang Shares (300903.SZ), Yuanjie Technology (688498.SH), and Shengxun Shares (rights defense) (003004.SZ), with year-to-date gains of 365.07%, 308.61%, 248.77%, and 218.79%, respectively.
CPO concept surges! The year-to-date stock price gains of 15 stocks exceed 100%, with Huashengchang in first place
(Source: Caixin) SK hynix (SKHY.US), together with multiple institutions including the University of Virginia, published a paper on CPO co-packaged optical technology in (Nature? Electronics). The paper officially unveiled the roadmap for the next generation of optical interconnect technology. On August 21, CPO-related stocks were active in the early trading session. Axi GY Electronics (600353.SH) hit the daily limit. Titan Technologies (300570.SZ), Core Technology (002957.SZ), and NeoPhotonics (300502.SZ) were among the top gainers. On the news front, SK hynix (SKHY.US), together with multiple institutions including the University of Virginia, published a paper on CPO co-packaged optical technology in (Nature? Electronics). The paper officially unveiled the roadmap for the next generation of optical interconnect technology. It pointed out that the growth rate of AI computing power far outpaces the increase in interconnect bandwidth, which leads to a so-called "bandwidth wall" and results in wasted computing capacity. CPO is seen as a key solution to break the bottleneck.
CPO new technology boosts the super-node concept; Risecomda hits the daily limit in a straight move!
(Source: Financial News) Researchers from SK Hynix, Virginia Tech, MIT, UIUC, Nanyang Technological University, Yonsei University, and other institutions, published a CPO (co-packaged optics) paper in a top-tier journal (Nature? Electronics). This is also the company’s first time to publicly disclose an AI interconnection system–level technical blueprint at this level of journal. On August 21, the super-node concept surged and rebounded sharply; Risecomda (603803.SH) hit the daily limit in a straight move. StarNet Ruijie (002396.SZ), Corelink Technology (603118.SH), Tsinghua Unisplendour (000938.SZ), and PhyLink Cos (301191.SZ) also followed with gains.
SK hynix Unveils a Major CPO Technology Roadmap; 5GETF Boshi (159811) Tracking Index Surges Over 2%
As of 10:03 on August 21, 2026, 5GETF Boshi (159811) tracking the CSI 5G Industry 50 Index (931406) is strongly up by 2.15%. Among constituent stocks, FiberHome Technologies is up 4.42%, Wingtech Technology is up 3.98%, Jingshi Electronics is up 3.79%, and stocks such as Yuanjie Technology and Unimicron are also moving up in tandem. In terms of liquidity, 5GETF Boshi saw an intraday turnover rate of 3.06%, with trading volume of RMB 67.769 million. Looking over a longer period, as of August 20, 5GETF Boshi’s average daily trading value over the past one month was RMB 358.968 million. On the news front, researchers from SK hynix in collaboration with institutions including the University of Virginia published a major paper in (Nature? Electronics). The paper systematically outlines the roadmap for co-packaged optics (CPO) technology in high-performance computing and AI fields, and for the first time clearly proposes technical goals to extend optical interconnects to memory interfaces. This landmark event not only confirms the broader industry trend of CPO expanding from the switch layer into the storage layer, but also injects new growth expectations into the optical communications and semiconductor industry chains.