Samsung committed $310 billion over five years to expand domestic chip capacity in South Korea|Pierre Lecourt|CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Samsung and other top South Korean companies announced major domestic investments on Sunday as President Lee Jae Myung sought to ease concerns that firms may prioritize US projects under a new trade deal.

Samsung shares jumped over 3% on Monday.

The company committed $310 billion over five years to expand chip capacity, including a new Pyeongtaek production line set to begin operations in 2028, to meet the soaring demand for AI-driven semiconductors.

Hyundai Motor pledged $86.3 billion from 2026 to 2030 to advance research and strengthen work on AI, robotics, and self-driving cars. SK Group and major shipbuilders also announced fresh domestic spending.

Samsung hikes chip prices
Samsung Electronics raised prices of key DDR5 memory chips by up to 60% this month as demand surges from the global race to build AI data centers.

The sharp increase pushed Samsung, SK Hynix, and major US chip stocks higher, highlighting how AI-driven demand is straining chip supplies.

Contract prices for Samsung’s 32GB DDR5 modules jumped from $149 in September to $239 in November. Prices for 16GB, 64GB, 96GB, and 128GB modules also climbed by 30% to 50%.

The shortage is forcing server makers and smartphone brands to absorb higher costs.