On June 29, 2026, the South Korean government unveiled an ambitious plan to construct four cutting-edge chip factories in the nation’s southwest region. This initiative, backed by an estimated investment of around 800 trillion won, is part of a broader strategy to pour at least 30 trillion won into the semiconductor sector over the next 15 years. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, two giants of the industry, have echoed this sentiment, announcing that their investments over the coming decade could surpass a staggering 1,000 trillion won. Their focus lies primarily on pioneering next-generation memory technologies, edge artificial intelligence, and other emerging fields. However, some analysts have sounded a note of caution, warning that if the current fervor for AI investments begins to wane, the industry could face the risk of overcapacity, potentially stretching over an extended period.