SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stated on Monday that the global shortage of memory chips may persist until 2030, driven by AI-fueled demand that continues to outpace supply. Explaining the reasons behind the shortage, Chey noted, "AI actually requires a huge amount of HBM, and once you start producing HBM… you have to consume a large volume of memory chips." He added, "Therefore, it will take some time to expand memory chip production capacity—at least four to five years. The current shortage is likely to last until 2030, so we expect the memory chip shortfall to exceed 20%."

Speaking on the sidelines of the NVIDIA GTC conference in San Jose, California, Chey mentioned that SK Hynix is evaluating the possibility of listing American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) in the United States to broaden its global investor base. At the same time, the company's CEO is expected to unveil plans aimed at stabilizing DRAM chip prices, and the group is also exploring alternative energy sources.

According to Counterpoint data, SK Hynix is the leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to NVIDIA, holding a 57% share of the HBM market and ranking first globally. It also accounts for 32% of the worldwide DRAM market, making it the second-largest player. Chey emphasized that SK Hynix will work on formulating a strategy to stabilize DRAM prices. "I cannot announce it directly here right now, but I expect our CEO will introduce a new plan on how to stabilize DRAM pricing."

When asked whether SK Hynix plans to expand chip manufacturing capacity in the U.S., where many of its customers are located, Chey responded that establishing overseas factories requires sufficient power, water resources, construction conditions, and engineering talent. He indicated that such expansion cannot be achieved quickly based solely on demand and noted that the company is currently focusing on production within South Korea.

Regarding a potential U.S. ADR listing, Chey stated that such a move would help expand SK Hynix's shareholder base beyond South Korea, increase exposure to U.S. and international investors, and strengthen its global presence. He also mentioned that rising energy prices and tensions in the Middle East have presented numerous challenges, prompting the group to seek out other available energy sources.