Yazılar

South Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix Exempt from 100% U.S. Chip Tariffs

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South Korea’s top trade official, Yeo Han-koo, announced that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will not face the proposed 100% U.S. tariffs on semiconductor imports, benefiting from favorable tariff terms under a trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea.

This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated plans to impose steep tariffs on semiconductor imports from countries without U.S.-based production commitments. However, companies with active or planned manufacturing facilities in the U.S. would be exempt.

Samsung has invested in two chip fabrication plants in Texas, located in Austin and Taylor, while SK Hynix plans to build an advanced chip packaging and AI R&D facility in Indiana. Analysts suggest that Samsung’s broader U.S. investments and its inclusion in Apple’s supply chain give it a stronger exemption position compared to SK Hynix, whose packaging plant alone might not fully qualify for tariff relief.

Apple recently confirmed that Samsung’s Texas plant will supply chips for its iPhones and other products, further strengthening Samsung’s U.S. manufacturing footprint. Following these developments, Samsung’s shares rose 2.6%, while SK Hynix’s shares gained 0.6%, mirroring broader market trends.

Neither company commented on the tariff discussion.

Louis Vuitton Korea Confirms Customer Data Leak Following Systems Breach

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Louis Vuitton Korea, a unit of the luxury conglomerate LVMH (LVMH.PA), announced on Friday that a systems breach in June led to the unauthorized leak of some customer data, including contact details. The company confirmed that financial information was not compromised.

Incident Details

  • The breach involved unauthorized third-party access to Louis Vuitton Korea’s system.

  • The company became aware of the incident on Wednesday and has since notified government authorities.

  • Immediate steps were taken to contain the breach and enhance system security.

Broader Context

  • The South Korean units of other LVMH brands, Christian Dior Couture and Tiffany, are also under investigation by South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission for earlier reported customer data leaks.

  • These incidents have heightened scrutiny on data security practices within luxury brands operating in South Korea.

Korea’s SK Group and Amazon to Invest $5 Billion in Nation’s Largest AI Data Centre

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South Korea’s SK Group announced a $5.11 billion investment plan, including $4 billion from Amazon Web Services (AWS), to build the country’s largest data centre in Ulsan, the Science Ministry confirmed Friday. Construction will begin in September, with full operations expected by 2029, featuring a capacity of 100 megawatts.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won expressed ambitions to expand the facility to one gigawatt eventually, aiming to position it as a global hub to meet domestic AI demands. President Lee Jae Myung, present at the announcement alongside tech industry leaders, emphasized AI’s critical role in South Korea’s growth and praised the project for spreading high-tech industry development beyond the metropolitan areas into provincial regions.

Following the announcement, South Korean AI-related stocks surged, with SK Hynix rising over 3%, Kakao jumping 11%, and LG CNS gaining 9%, helping the KOSPI index surpass 3,000 points for the first time in over three years.

The investment confirms earlier media reports this month about SK Group and AWS’s plans to build a major data centre in South Korea.