January 15, 2026 /SemiMedia/ — SK hynix said it plans to invest about 19 trillion won ($12.9 billion) to build a new advanced semiconductor packaging plant in Cheongju, South Korea, as it expands production of high-bandwidth memory used in artificial intelligence systems.

The facility, known as P&T7, is scheduled to break ground in April 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027. It will handle chip packaging and final testing for products manufactured at the company’s front-end fabs.

As performance gains from process scaling slow, advanced packaging has become increasingly important for high-end memory. HBM, which stacks multiple DRAM dies, places higher demands on thermal management and structural stability at the packaging stage.

SK hynix is also building its M15X fab for next-generation DRAM in Cheongju, where cleanroom operations have already begun. The company said the new P&T7 plant is expected to play a key role in converting DRAM output into commercial HBM products to meet rising AI-related demand.