SK Hynix’s US expansion plans hit snag over China license delays - report

US authorities have delayed granting American chipmaking equipment licenses crucial for SK Hynix's plans to expand memory-chip production in China, creating hurdles for the company's proposed new plants in New York, according to Reuters. The company is seeking export licenses to upgrade its Dalian plant, arguing that greater output would help fund the US expansion.

The Commerce Department has yet to approve these licenses, according to the report. SK Hynix's shares on the New York Stock Exchange dipped slightly after the news broke. Solidigm, a subsidiary of SK Hynix, is planning to invest $45 billion to construct two NAND plants in Marcy, New York, with potential future investments totaling $100 billion.

NAND memory, which retains data without power and is widely used in data centers, is central to the company's strategy. Negotiations over these licenses have sparked debate about the US government's balance between national security and encouraging foreign investment and chip manufacturing within the country. Solidigm executives have reportedly interacted with Commerce Department officials over a dozen times since late August, seeking to boost production and advance more advanced NAND chipmaking in China to support US facility development and maintain competitiveness.

Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler has reportedly held firm on the administration's stance against granting additional American chipmaking tools to expand or upgrade capacity. The department has not formally rejected a license to export American equipment to SK Hynix's Dalian plant. The two parties are also negotiating a separate license for 2027 to maintain the Dalian facility.

In recent discussions, Solidigm has emphasized its ongoing evaluation of strategic alternatives to support customers and boost competitiveness, exploring potential NAND memory fab sites worldwide, though no final decision has been made.