[Edaily Reporter KIM YOON-JEONG ] Forecasts suggest that the global memory chip shortage could worsen as the labor union at U.S. semiconductor company Micron’s DRAM factory in Taiwan has announced plans to strike. Analysts say that if the strike goes ahead, it could lead to production disruptions and shipment delays, potentially strengthening the pricing power and bargaining position of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Kim Dong-won, head of the Research Center at KB Securities, stated in a report on the 21st, “According to Reuters on the 20th, the union at Micron’s Taoyuan plant in Taiwan is scheduled to go on strike starting on the 22nd,” adding, “The union approved the strike with a 99% approval rate in a strike authorization vote held earlier this month and is demanding performance bonuses equivalent to 15% of Micron’s global operating profit.”
The Taoyuan plant is a key production hub, accounting for approximately 22% of Micron’s total DRAM production capacity. If the strike goes ahead, it is expected to create significant uncertainty in the global DRAM supply.
Center Director Kim analyzed, “If the strike goes ahead, it could lead to reduced production and shipment delays,” adding, “The scale of the strike and whether there is an actual decline in production will be key variables directly affecting the memory supply and demand.”
Attention is also focused on whether the labor-management conflict will spread to the Taichung plant, a key production hub for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). It is explained that labor-management negotiations are currently underway at the Taichung plant, and it has not yet been determined whether a strike will occur.
Center Director Kim predicted, “If the strike spreads to the Taichung plant, disruptions could occur not only in general-purpose DRAM but also in HBM production, further amplifying the ripple effects on the global memory supply.”
He also raised the possibility that domestic semiconductor companies could benefit if Micron’s production disruptions materialize. This is because, amid an ongoing memory shortage, increased supply uncertainty could prompt customers to take preemptive measures to secure inventory.
Center Director Kim assessed, “If Micron’s production disruptions materialize, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix’s pricing power and bargaining power in supply negotiations will be further strengthened,” adding, “This could stimulate demand from customers to secure supplies proactively, which would serve as a positive factor for improving the profitability of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.”