SK Hynix - Wikipedia

South Korean memory semiconductor supplier "Hyundai Electronics" and "Hynix" redirect here. For the conglomerate, see Hyundai Group. SK Hynix Inc.

Logo since 2012
Native name	에스케이하이닉스 주식회사
Formerly	Hyundai Electronics (1983–2001) Hynix (2001–2012)
Company type	Public
Traded as	KRX: 000660
Industry	Semiconductor
Founded	15 October 1949; 76 years ago (1949-10-15) (legal) 26 February 1983; 42 years ago (1983-02-26) (actual)
Founder	Chung Ju-yung
Headquarters	Icheon, South Korea
Products	DRAM, NAND flash
Revenue	₩66.19 trillion (2024)
Operating income	₩23.47 trillion (2024)
Net income	₩19.80 trillion (2024)
Total assets	₩119.86 trillion (2024)
Total equity	₩73.92 trillion (2024)
Number of employees	46,863 (2024)
Parent	Hyundai Group (1983-2003)SK Group (2003-present)
Website	skhynix.com
Footnotes / references[1]

SK Hynix Inc. (Korean: 에스케이하이닉스 주식회사), stylized as SK hynix, is a South Korean supplier of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips and flash memory chips. SK Hynix is one of the world's largest semiconductor vendors.[2][3]

Founded as Hyundai Electronics in 1983, SK Hynix was integrated into the SK Group in 2012 following a series of mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring efforts. After being incorporated into the SK Group, SK Hynix became a major affiliate alongside SK Innovation and SK Telecom.[4]

The company's major customers include Microsoft, Apple,[5] Asus, Dell, MSI, HP Inc., and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (formerly Hewlett-Packard).[2] Other products that use Hynix memory include DVD players, cellular phones, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants, networking equipment, and hard disk drives.[6]

History

[edit]

Beginning

[edit]

Hyundai Electronics

[edit]

Hyundai Electronics was founded in 1983 by Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai Group. In the early 1980s, Chung recognized the growing importance of electronics in the automobile industry, one of Hyundai's primary business areas. He saw the potential for Hyundai to expand beyond its core operations in automobiles, shipbuilding, and heavy industries and wanted to establish a presence in the promising electronics industry. The company's primary focus was on semiconductor production and industrial electronics.[citation needed]

Hyundai had to pay a very high entry price to set up an efficient production system and to stabilize the yield rate compared to its rival Samsung, who at least had prior experience in semiconductor manufacturing. Hyundai's decision to produce SRAMs was later proven to be a mistake, as the technological sophistication of SRAMs made it difficult for Hyundai to achieve a satisfactory yield rate. In 1985, Hyundai altered its strategy for DRAM manufacturing by subcontracting from foreign firms and importing their chip designs, as it had lost time developing its own chips. Hyundai's DRAM chip, produced by importing Vitelic Corporation's design and technology, again failed in mass production due to a low yield rate.[citation needed]

Hyundai's approach to manufacturing memory chips as a foundry for foreign firms under OEM agreements was successful. The OEM agreements between General Instruments and Texas Instruments were helpful to Hyundai, which was facing technological and financial difficulties. By 1992, Hyundai had become the world's ninth DRAM manufacturer, and by 1995, it ranked among the world's top 20 semiconductor manufacturing companies. In 1996, Hyundai acquired Maxtor, a U.S.-based disk-drive manufacturer.[7][8][9]

LG Semicon

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GoldStar, which later became LG Electronics, entered the semiconductor business by acquiring a small company from Taihan Electric Wire in 1979. The company was subsequently renamed GoldStar Semiconductor. LG Semicon was established as Goldstar Electron in 1983 by merging the semiconductor operations of Goldstar Electronics and Goldstar Semiconductors. In 1990, Goldstar Electron commenced operations at Cheongju Plant I, followed by the completion of Cheongju Plant II in 1994. The company underwent a name change to LG Semicon in 1995. LG Semicon operated from three sites, including Seoul, Cheongju, and Gumi.[10][8]

Merger

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During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the South Korean government initiated the restructuring of the nation's five major conglomerates, including their semiconductor businesses. Among five chaebols, Samsung, LG, and Hyundai were engaged in the semiconductor business. Samsung was exempt from the restructuring due to its competitive position in the global market. However, LG and Hyundai were pressured by the government to merge, as both companies faced significant losses during the semiconductor recession of early 1996. In 1998, Hyundai Electronics acquired LG Semicon for US$2.1 billion, positioning itself in direct competition with Micron Technology. Subsequently, LG Semicon was rebranded as Hyundai Semiconductor and later merged with Hyundai Electronics.[11][12][13]

Hynix

[edit]

Logo between 2001 and 2012

Although the South Korean government aimed to merge the two companies to alleviate the supply glut in the global market, competition in the semiconductor industry had intensified. Hyundai faced near collapse during the chip industry's downturn in 2001, when global memory chip prices dropped by 80 percent, resulting in a 5 trillion won annual loss for the company. Creditor banks, many of them under government control at the time, intervened to provide assistance.[14]

In 2001, Hyundai Electronics rebranded as Hynix Semiconductor, a portmanteau of "high" and "electronics". Alongside this change, Hynix began selling or spinning off business units to recover from a cash squeeze.[15] Hynix separated several business units, including Hyundai Curitel, a mobile phone manufacturer;[16] Hyundai SysComm, a CDMA mobile communication chip maker;[17] Hyundai Autonet, a car navigation system producer;[18] ImageQuest, a flat panel display company;[19] and its TFT-LCD unit,[20] among others. The divestiture was part of a bailout plan requested by the major creditor, Korea Development Bank, to provide fresh funds to the insolvent semiconductor maker.[21]

In 2003, Hyundai Group affiliates, including Hyundai Merchant Marine, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Elevator, and Chung Mong-hun, the chairman of Hyundai Asan, consented to forfeit their voting rights and sell their stakes in Hynix.[22] Hynix was then formally spun-off from the Hyundai Group in August 2003.[23]

SK Hynix

[edit]

The Hynix creditors, including Korea Exchange Bank, Woori Bank, Shinhan Bank and Korea Finance Corporation, attempted to sell their stake in Hynix several times but failed.[24][25][26] Korean companies such as Hyosung, Dongbu CNI, and former stakeholders, including Hyundai Heavy Industries and LG, were considered potential bidders but were either denied or withdrew from the bidding.[27] In July 2011, SK Telecom, the nation's largest telecommunication company, and STX Group officially entered the bid.[28] STX dropped its deal in September 2011, leaving SK Telecom as the sole bidder. In the end, SK acquired Hynix for US$3 billion in February 2012.[29][30][31] As Hynix was incorporated into SK Group, its name was changed to SK Hynix.[32]

In 2021, Hynix acquired Intel's NAND business for $9 billion, resulting in the establishment of Solidigm.[33][34][35]

On September 26, 2024, SK Hynix said it has begun mass production of 12-layer high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, the first in the world.[36][37] As of Q2 2025, SK Hynix controlled 38% of the global DRAM market.[38]

Corporate governance

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As of December 2023

Shareholder	Stake (%)	Flag
SK Square	20.07%
National Pension Service	7.90%

Financials

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The key trends for SK Hynixs are (as of the financial year ending 31 December):

Revenue(USD billion)[39]	EBIT(USD billion)[40]	Total Assets(USD billion)[40]	Total Equity(USD billion)[40]	Market cap(USD billion)[41]
2015	16.41	4.72	25.24	18.19	18.46
2016	14.92	2.86	26.72	19.92	26.18
2017	27.03	12.17	42.60	31.72	50.49
2018	36.72	19.45	57.02	41.97	37.07
2019	23.24	2.32	56.42	41.45	55.66
2020	27.41	5.63	65.51	47.77	74.60
2021	37.04	11.70	80.97	52.26	75.70
2022	34.44	3.44	82.37	50.19	40.65
2023	24.89	-7.75	77.56	41.36	77.40
2024	47.96	18.16	81.67	50.37	81.73

Operations

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SK Hynix has production facilities in Icheon and Cheongju, South Korea, and in Wuxi, Chongqing and Dalian, China.[42]

Products

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Hynix produces a variety of semiconductor memories, including:

• Computing memory
• Consumer and network memory
• Graphics memory
• Mobile memory
• NAND flash memory
• CMOS image sensors
• Solid-state drives (SSDs)
• High Bandwidth Memory: SK Hynix supplies high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips that are used in AI. The company also supplies the HBM3E, a fifth-generation HBM, to Nvidia.[43]

See also

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• List of semiconductor fabrication plants
• Semiconductor industry in South Korea

References

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1. ^ "Annual Report". englishdart.fss.or.kr. Financial Supervisory Service. 31 December 2023.
2. ^ a b Lee, Youkyung (26 July 2012). "SK Hynix sinks to loss on oversupply, weak demand". Seoul, South Korea. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
3. ^ "Gartner Says Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue Grew 1.1% in 2022". Gartner. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
4. ^ Seo, Jee-yeon (9 December 2014). "SK appoints young CEOs". The Korea Herald.
5. ^ By Paul Briden, Know Your Mobile. "iPhone SE One Week Later: "Adoption Has Been Low"." 8 April 2016.
6. ^ "Analysis of SK hynix". Dublin: Research and Markets. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
7. ^ "The Korean system of innovation and the semiconductor industry:a governance perspective" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
8. ^ a b Kim, Dong-won (29 September 2023). Making a Semiconductor Superpower. CRC Press. ISBN 9781000936087.
9. ^ "Maxtor Drives Hard". Forbes. 21 November 2001.
10. ^ Pecht, Mike (24 July 2020). The Korean Electronics Industry. CRC Press. ISBN 9781000154023.
11. ^ Robertson, Jack (24 September 1998). "Hyundai And LG Semicon To Merge Chip Ops". EE Times.
12. ^ Journal, Hae Won ChoiStaff Reporter of The Wall Street (16 March 1999). "LG Semicon Sale Is Seen Helping LG Electronics". The Wall Street Journal.
13. ^ "Hyundai And LG Semicon To Merge Chip Ops". EETimes. 24 September 1998.
14. ^ Choe, Sang-Hun (2 September 2005). "Hynix has become a comeback darling". The New York Times. Seoul.
15. ^ "Hyundai Electronics to Be Renamed Hynix". The New York Times. 9 March 2001.
16. ^ Moon, So-young (23 October 2003). "Local buyouts burdened". Korea Joongang Daily.
17. ^ Robertson, Jack (23 January 2022). "Hynix to sell holding in CDMA company for $44.7 million". EE Times.
18. ^ LaPedus, Mark (13 October 2005). "Hynix profits up 115% in Q3". EE Times. San Jose.
19. ^ "Hynix to sell shares in flat panel display company". EE Times. 5 February 2003.
20. ^ LaPedus, Mark (25 May 2005). "BOE propels China into large-screen LCD market". EE Times. San Jose.
21. ^ Jong, Sonu (29 August 2001). "Korea Development Bank Balks at New Funds for Hynix". The Chosun Ilbo.
22. ^ Kim, Won-bae (5 January 2003). "Chung, Affiliates to Bow Out To Ease Separation of Hynix". Korea JoongAng Daily.
23. ^ Rhee, So-Eui (31 July 2001). "Hynix Says Government Has Cleared Its Separation From Parent Hyundai". The Wall Street Journal. Seoul.
24. ^ "UPDATE 1-Hynix stake up for sale in auction again in Dec". Reuters. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
25. ^ Park, Ju-Min (21 June 2011). "S.Korea's Hynix shareholders in 3rd attempt to find buyer". Reuters. Seoul.
26. ^ Lee, Se Young; Lee, Jung-Ah (21 June 2011). "Hynix Creditors Launch Third Attempt at Stake Sale". The Wall Street Journal. Seoul.
27. ^ Park, Ju-Min; Kim, Miyoung (7 July 2011). "STX says may bid for Hynix as Hyundai Heavy drops out". Reuters.
28. ^ Kim, Da-ye (10 July 2011). "SK, STX bet on Hynix for future growth". The Korea Times.
29. ^ Park, Ju-Min (11 November 2011). "SK Telecom picked for $3 bln Hynix deal". Reuters. Seoul.
30. ^ Lee, Jung-Ah (14 November 2011). "SK Telecom to Buy Hynix Stake for $3.04 Billion". The Wall Street Journal. Seoul.
31. ^ "Hynix names Chey as co-CEO as SK completes $3 billion deal". Reuters. Seoul. 14 February 2012.
32. ^ Clarke, Peter (23 March 2012). "Hynix name change reflects SK investment". EE Times. London.
33. ^ "South Korea's SK Hynix to buy Intel's NAND business for $9 billion". uk.reuters.com. 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
34. ^ Anderson, Mark (24 May 2022). "Intel spinoff Solidigm to open Rancho Cordova R&D office, lab". American City Business Journals.
35. ^ Joseph F. Kovar (24 January 2022). "Solidigm CEO: Spinning Out of Intel To SK Hynix 'Gives Us The Greater Scale We Need'". CRN.
36. ^ Boram, Kim (2024). "SK hynix starts mass production of world's first 12-layer HBM3E". Yonhap News.
37. ^ Jang, Minseok; Lee, Sooyeon; Kong, kanga (12 September 2025). "SK hynix Completes World's First HBM4 Development and Readies Mass Production". SK hynix newsroom. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
38. ^ Roth, Emma (9 December 2025). "RAM is ruining everything". The Verge. Archived from the original on 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
39. ^ "SK Hynix (000660.KS) - Revenue". companiesmarketcap.com. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
40. ^ a b c "SK Hynix (000660.KS) - Earnings". companiesmarketcap.com. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
41. ^ "SK Hynix (000660.KS) - Market capitalization". companiesmarketcap.com. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
42. ^ Lee, Joyce (6 September 2022). "SK Hynix to invest $11 bln in new South Korea chip plant". Reuters.
43. ^ "SK hynix vows to maintain competitive edge in AI memory chips over Samsung, Micron". The Korea Times. 27 March 2024.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hynix.

• Official website
• Business data for SK Hynix:
  • Google
  • Reuters
  • Yahoo!

v t e SK
Ownership	SK Inc. Chey Tae-won
Current subsidiaries	Energy SK ecoplant SK Innovation SK Oceanplant IT SK Hynix SK Telecom SK Broadband SK Planet Service SK Networks Other SK Bioscience Former and discontinued Dreamus Loen Entertainment SK Communications Nate SK Shieldus SK Wyverns
Sports	Jeju SK Seoul SK Knights T1 SK Sugar Gliders
Category Commons

v t e LG
Subsidiaries	Current LG Chem LG Energy Solution LG CNS LG Display LG Electronics Zenith LG Household & Health Care The Face Shop LG Innotek LG Uplus G2R HS Ad Former/defunct GoldStar LG Card LG Investment & Securities LG Semiconductor
Joint ventures	Current Ericsson-LG Hitachi-LG Data Storage Former/defunct LG.Philips Displays LG Philips LCD
Sports	LG Twins Changwon LG Sakers LG Cup (Go)
Other	Yonam College Yonam Institute of Technology GS Group LIG Group LS Group Visakhapatnam gas leak
People	Koo In-hwoi Koo Cha-kyung Koo Bon-moo Koo Kwang-mo
Category Commons

v t e Hyundai
Subsidiaries	Current Hyundai Asan Hyundai Elevator Former and defunct Hynix Hyundai Logistics Hyundai Merchant Marine Hyundai Securities Hyundai Unicorns
Successors	HD Hyundai Group HDC Group HL Group Hyundai Corporation Group Hyundai Department Store Group Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Group Hyundai Motor Group Hyundai Sungwoo Group KCC Group
People	Chung Ju-yung Chung Mong-koo Chung Mong-hun Chung Mong-joon Chung Mong-won Chung Mong-gyu Chung Eui-sun
Category Commons

v t e Solid-state drives
Key terminology	Encryption ECC Flash file system Flash memory SLC/MLC Flash memory controller Garbage collection IOPS MB/s Memory wear Open-channel SSD Over-provisioning Read disturb Secure erase Solid-state storage Trim command Wear leveling Write amplification
Flash manufacturers	Micron Samsung SK Hynix Bought Intel's NAND flash chips and NAND flash SSD businesses and renamed the SSD business as Solidigm Flash Forward (joint venture between Sandisk and Kioxia) YMTC XMC
Controllers	Captive Sandisk Western Digital Fusion-io HGST sTec Kioxia OCZ (bankrupt, assets sold to Toshiba, which later spun off its SSD and flash business to Kioxia) Indilinx (bought by OCZ) Micron Samsung Seagate SandForce SK Hynix Bought Intel's NAND flash chips and NAND flash SSD businesses including controllers and renamed the SSD business Solidigm FADU Independent Greenliant Systems Goke Maxiotek Marvell Phison PMC-Sierra SMI
SSD manufacturers	List of solid-state drive manufacturers
Interfaces	Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) Fibre Channel (FC) NVM Express (NVMe) PCI Express (PCIe) SATA Express Serial ATA (SATA) Serial attached SCSI (SAS) Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Configurations	HDD form factors mSATA M.2 PCI Express expansion card Thunderbolt USB Type-C U.2 U.3 EDSFF
Related organizations	INCITS JEDEC / JC-42, JC-64.8 ONFI NVMHCI Work Group USB-IF SATA-IO SFF Committee SNIA SSSI T10/SCSI T11/FC T13/ATA
Category

v t e Major semiconductor companies
Note = "major" equates to companies with an annual revenue of over US$3 billion, past or present
IDM Analog Devices Fujitsu Infineon Intel Kioxia Microchip Micron NXP onsemi Qorvo Renesas Samsung SK Hynix STMicroelectronics Texas Instruments Fabless AMD Apple Arm Broadcom Marvell MediaTek Nvidia Qualcomm Skyworks Solutions Foundry GlobalFoundries Samsung Foundry SMIC TSMC UMC OSAT Amkor Technology ASE JCET Equipment Applied Materials ASML KLA Lam Research Tokyo Electron Software Cadence Synopsys

v t e KOSPI 200 companies of South Korea

Communication Service Cheil Worldwide Hybe Kakao Krafton KT LG Uplus Naver NCSoft Netmarble SK Telecom Constructions Daewoo E&C DL DL E&C GS E&C Hanil Cement Hyundai E&C KCC KEPCO E&C Samsung C&T Samsung E&A Consumer Discretionary Coway DN Automotive DoubleU Games F&F Grand Korea Leisure Hanjin KAL Hankook Hankook & Company Hanon Systems Hanssem HL Mando Hotel Shilla Hyundai Department Store Hyundai Mobis Hyundai Motor Hyundai WIA Kangwon Land Kia Kumho Tire Lotte Shopping Misto Paradise Sebang Global Battery Shinsegae SL Youngone Youngone Holdings Consumer Staples Amorepacific Amorepacific Holdings APR BGF Retail CJ CJ CheilJedang Cosmax Daesang Dongsuh Dongwon Industries Emart GS Retail HiteJinro KEPCO Kolmar Korea Korea District Heating Korea Gas KT&G LG H&H Lotte Lotte Chilsung Lotte Wellfood Nongshim Orion Orion Holdings Ottogi Samyang Foods Energy & Chemicals Cosmo Chemical Foosung GS Hankuk Carbon Hansol Chemical Hanwha Hanwha Solutions HD Hyundai HS Hyosung Advanced Materials Hyosung TNC Isu Specialty Chemical Kolon Industries Korea Petrochemical Kumho Petrochemical LG Chem Lotte Chemical Lotte Fine Chemical Miwon Commercial Miwon Specialty Chemical OCI Holdings SK SK Chemicals SK Innovation SKC S-Oil Taekwang Industrial TKG Huchems Financials BNK Financial DB Insurance Hana Financial Hanwha Life Hyundai Marine & Fire IM Financial Industrial Bank of Korea JB Financial KakaoBank KakaoPay KB Financial Kiwoom Securities Korea Investment Meritz Financial Mirae Asset Securities NH Investment & Securities Samsung Card Samsung Fire & Marine Samsung Life Samsung Securities Shinhan Financial Woori Financial Health Care Celltrion Chong Kun Dang Daewoong Daewoong Pharmaceutical Green Cross Green Cross Holdings Hanall Biopharma Hanmi Pharm Hanmi Science Samsung Biologics Samsung Epis SD Biosensor SK Biopharm SK Bioscience Yuhan Heavy Industries CS Wind Doosan Doosan Bobcat Doosan Enerbility Doosan Robotics Hanwha Engine Hanwha Ocean HD Hyundai Electric HD Hyundai Heavy Industries HD Hyundai Marine Engine HD Hyundai Marine Solution HD KSOE Hyosung Heavy Industries Hyundai Elevator Hyundai Rotem Sanil Electric Samsung Heavy Industries Industrials CJ Logistics Ecopro Materials Hanwha Aerospace Hanwha Systems HMM Hyundai Glovis KEPCO KPS Korea Aerospace Korean Air L&F LG Energy Solution LIG Nex1 LS LS Electric Pan Ocean POSCO Future M POSCO International S-1 SK IE Technology Taihan Cable & Solution IT Hanmi Semiconductor Hyundai AutoEver Isu Petasys LG LG CNS LG Display LG Electronics LG Innotek POSCO DX Samsung Electro-Mechanics Samsung Electronics Samsung SDI Samsung SDS SK Hynix SK Square Steels & Materials Asia Holdings Dongwon Systems Hyundai Steel Korea Zinc Poongsan POSCO SeAH Besteel Holdings SeAH Steel Holdings Youlchon Chemical Young Poong

v t e S&P Asia 50 companies
Mainland China	Bank of China China Construction Bank China Life Insurance Company China Merchants Bank China Mobile China Overseas Land and Investment China Petroleum & Chemical CNOOC Limited Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Meituan-Dianping PetroChina Ping An Insurance
Hong Kong	AIA Group CK Asset Holdings CK Hutchison Holdings CLP Holdings Galaxy Entertainment Group Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong and China Gas Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Link Real Estate Investment Trust Sands China Sun Hung Kai Properties
Singapore	DBS Group Oversea-Chinese Banking United Overseas Bank Singapore Telecommunications
South Korea	Celltrion Hyundai Mobis Hyundai Motor Company KB Financial Group KT&G LG Chem Naver POSCO Samsung Electronics SK Hynix
Taiwan	Largan Precision Cathay Financial Holding CTBC Financial Holding Formosa Plastics Hon Hai Precision Industry MediaTek TSMC

Authority control databases	ISNI