August 27, 2026 / SemiMedia / — The United States is urging South Korean semiconductor companies to invest in domestic U.S. memory chip production facilities and ensure stable product supplies, according to a South Korean media report.

Sources from South Korea’s ruling party said U.S. pressure on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix increased after Seoul announced an approximately KRW 800 trillion semiconductor cluster in the southwestern Honam region.

Washington has reportedly not directly opposed South Korea’s domestic semiconductor development plans. Instead, U.S. officials have expressed frustration that the South Korean government is actively supporting investment at home while its major chipmakers have yet to announce additional U.S. memory production projects.

The issue was reportedly discussed during South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan’s four-day visit to the United States beginning August 16. Seoul said the semiconductor investment request is separate from the $350 billion investment agreement reached by the two countries last year. South Korea plans to announce the first project under that agreement in September.

South Korean chipmakers are concerned that simultaneous investment in domestic and U.S. manufacturing capacity could create a substantial capital expenditure and operational burden. Neither Samsung nor SK hynix has announced a new U.S. memory wafer fab.

Under South Korea’s Honam semiconductor project, Samsung and SK hynix plan to invest a combined KRW 800 trillion in Gwangju and surrounding areas. Each company is expected to build two memory chip fabs, supported by government investment in land, electricity, water, transport and accelerated approvals.

If the U.S. request becomes more specific, South Korean memory suppliers will need to balance domestic capacity expansion, U.S. supply-chain localization and capital expenditure discipline.