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By Jun Ji-hye
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix could become victims of the U.S.-China trade war, with the prolonged conflict between the nation's two major trade partners showing signs of spreading to the semiconductor industry.
Officials of the two Korean memory chip makers are paying keen attention to remarks made by the Chinese antitrust authority, Friday, that it had made important progress in its probe into price-fixing allegations involving the world's three dominant DRAM memory chips makers ― Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and U.S.-based Micron Technology.
Given that the remarks came amid intensifying trade tension between Beijing and Washington, officials here are expressing concerns over the possibility of China imposing stricter regulations or punitive measures, including fines, against Micron Technology, which could inevitably hurt Samsung Electronics and SK hynix as well.
"If China wanted to take any actions against the United States with its recent investigation, it would not be able to only target the U.S. company as it would be too blatant," an industry source said Sunday. "This is why there is a possibility that Korean companies could become targets as well."
According to Chinese media, the Chinese antitrust authority made the remarks during a media conference marking the 10th anniversary of the country's antitrust law, saying the authority had secured diverse data of the three companies and dozens of their partners. The authority said it was now reviewing legal proceedings.
China has investigated price-fixing allegations since May, saying DRAM prices had risen sharply. It searched the offices of the three companies in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
The three semiconductor makers control the market for DRAM memory chips.
Washington-Beijing tension in the semiconductor sector has grown since July when U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm gave up its proposed takeover of Netherlands' NXP after China refused to grant regulatory approval.
Eight other jurisdictions, including the European Union and Korea, had approved the takeover deal worth $44 billion since it was announced in October 2016. China was the lone party that delayed the deal for nearly two years.
Then in October, the Donald Trump administration cut off Chinese state-backed semiconductor maker Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Company from U.S. exports of components and software.
The U.S. Commerce Department said the export ban came because Fujian Jinhua "poses a significant risk of becoming involved in activities that are contrary to the national security interests of the United States."
The measure is a serious setback to the Chinese chipmaker, which is seeking to mass-produce DRAM memory chips next year.
"It is difficult to predict how situations will go because conflicts between the United States and China in the semiconductor sector are growing," said an official from a Korean company. "We are keeping an eye on developments."
