Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the optimistic outlook for the artificial intelligence (AI) chip sector, prompting major South Korean semiconductor companies to increase their facility investments to capture future market share [1]. Group 1: Samsung's Developments - Samsung is preparing to restart the construction of its P4 chip manufacturing line in Pyeongtaek, which was halted last year. The P4 factory will have a total monthly capacity of 200,000 wafers, with the fourth phase expected to contribute 40% of this capacity, equating to 80,000 wafers per month [2][3]. - The P4 factory's production lines, initially intended for foundry services, are now expected to be converted to DRAM production lines using 10nm technology for the sixth generation 1c DRAM. Samsung has confirmed the successful development of this advanced technology for the next generation high bandwidth memory (HBM4) chips [2]. - There are reports that Samsung is also considering restarting the construction of its fifth manufacturing plant (P5) in Pyeongtaek, which was paused earlier. The P5 plant is projected to require an investment of over 30 trillion KRW (approximately 22 billion USD) and will produce DRAM, NAND flash, and foundry products [3]. Group 2: SK Hynix's Expansion - SK Hynix is also planning to expand its production capacity in the coming years. The company is set to complete the construction of its new M15X factory in Cheongju, South Korea, later this year, which will produce fifth-generation 10nm DRAM chips for the next generation HBM4 products. This factory is expected to have a monthly capacity of around 90,000 wafers [4]. - Additionally, SK Hynix is investing in a new backend production facility named "P&T 7" in Cheongju to enhance its packaging capabilities and improve the performance and power efficiency of its advanced chips [4]. Group 3: Market Outlook - Strong demand for DRAM is anticipated in the second half of the year, particularly for HBM chips that support AI processors. According to the Korea Export-Import Bank, the global AI semiconductor market is expected to grow from 41.1 billion USD in 2022 to 133 billion USD by 2028 [5].