SK Hynix CEO Warns 2027 Will Be Worst Year for Memory Supply
The warning from a leading memory manufacturer confirms that memory prices will continue rising through 2028, directly impacting the cost of PCs, game consoles, and AI hardware for consumers and businesses.
Key Facts
- SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung predicted that 2027 will be the worst year for memory supply shortage in industry history.
- Demand for memory is expected to outstrip SK Hynix's supply capacity beyond 2030.
- Memory prices are projected to rise by approximately 2.5 to 3 times by 2028, according to Jefferies Equity Research.
- SK Hynix and Samsung plan to invest 400 trillion won (about 43 trillion yen) to double memory production capacity within five years.
- SK Hynix plans to invest $4 billion to build a factory in Indiana and $10 billion to establish an AI solutions company.
Reporting from 3 sources: GameBusiness.jp, GIGAZINE, Game Spark.
SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung has warned that 2027 will be the worst year for memory supply in industry history, with demand expected to outstrip production capacity beyond 2030. Speaking to Reuters on July 10, 2026, Kwak said customer demand continues to rise while the company's production capacity is limited, predicting that 2027 will be the most severe shortage ever. The warning follows a June 2026 report from Jefferies Equity Research that memory prices will continue to rise until 2027 and may increase by approximately 2.5 to 3 times by 2028. SK Hynix and rival Samsung are cooperating with the South Korean government to invest 400 trillion won (about 43 trillion yen) to double memory production capacity within five years. SK Hynix also plans to invest $4 billion to build a factory in Indiana and $10 billion to establish an AI solutions company. Micron has similarly accelerated its U.S. investment plans to over 40 trillion yen. Kwak noted that the company is evaluating locations for new wafer factories, including sites in the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asia, but has not yet decided on a location.
SK Hynix listed American Depositary Receipts on the NASDAQ market in 2026. CEO Kwak Noh-jung told Reuters the company is "doing our best to solve this problem" of memory supply. He said the company is evaluating locations for new wafer factories that can secure sufficient land, electricity, water, and skilled labor at competitive manufacturing costs. No location has been decided yet.
Kwak's view is shared by rival Samsung and by Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, who noted that the AI boom is further increasing memory demand. Samsung has predicted that the memory supply shortage will worsen further in 2027 and that customers are already placing orders for 2027. The three companies are cooperating with the South Korean government's plan to invest 400 trillion won to double domestic memory production capacity within five years.
Memory prices are expected to rise 40 to 50 percent in the third quarter of 2026 and not improve until 2028, according to earlier reports cited by the sources. The price surge threatens small and medium electronics manufacturers, which have low profit margins and weak bargaining power in the supply chain. The sources advise consumers considering a PC purchase to do so as soon as possible.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.