South Korea’s Trade Minister Jeo Han-koo announced that tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will not be subject to the newly proposed 100% U.S. tariffs on semiconductor chips. This comes shortly after President Donald Trump warned that countries not producing chips in the U.S. will face steep trade penalties.
The minister expressed confidence that South Korea will receive favorable trade terms, thanks to its major investments in U.S. chip manufacturing.
🏭 Samsung and SK Hynix Investing in the U.S.
While Trump has not officially confirmed the exemption, his recent comments suggest that countries with domestic chip manufacturing facilities in the U.S. will be spared. South Korea fits that description.
🔹 Samsung Electronics already operates two chip plants in Texas – one in Austin, the other in Taylor.
🔹 SK Hynix received a $458 million grant last year from the U.S. Department of Commerce to build a chip packaging facility in Indiana. The company plans to invest over $3.8 billion into the project and has also secured $500 million in loans.
Still, Yuanta Securities analyst Baik Gil-hyun noted that SK Hynix’s packaging plant may not fully meet the criteria for full tariff exemption.
📈 Meanwhile, Samsung’s stock rose 1.74% to 70,050 KRW, while SK Hynix gained 0.3% to 259,250 KRW.
🤝 U.S.–Korea Trade Agreement and Apple’s Role
Trump recently announced a new trade agreement with South Korea, which includes a 15% tariff on Asian imports, but with specific exemptions for key investors.
At the same time, Samsung revealed it will supply iPhone chips from its Texas factory. Apple confirmed a joint initiative to launch new chipmaking technology that will enhance performance and energy efficiency in its products.
📸 According to Kiwoom Securities analyst Park Yu-ak, these are likely image sensors for the next generation iPhone, specifically iPhone 18. He believes this partnership will significantly boost Samsung’s semiconductor division.
Apple has traditionally relied on Sony for its iPhone image sensors, with Sony controlling over 50% of the global sensor market, while Samsung holds around 15%.
📊 Apple also announced an additional $100 billion investment in the U.S., bringing its total domestic spending to $600 billion over the next four years.
#Samsung , #SouthKorean , #TRUMP , #Tariffs , #Apple
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