China's memory push poses a longer-term risk for South Korean chipmakers
A reported pricing impasse between Apple and CXMT could offer temporary relief to Samsung and SK Hynix, but expanding Chinese production presents a different challenge.
South KoreaStory of Why this story? One of KBS News's most watched videos since yesterday, with 1,515,820 views.
KBS News: The news division of KBS, South Korea's public broadcaster. 3.7M subscribers and 12B views.
“CXMT, 애플의 공급 제안 거절”…중국 “메모리 자급자족” / KBS 2026.10.28.
Losing a potential supplier could leave Apple's South Korean chipmakers in a stronger position, at least temporarily. But a widely watched report from South Korea's Korean Broadcasting System (KBS News) warns that China's drive to supply its own memory chips could eventually hurt their exports and profits.
Beijing correspondent Lee Jung-gun reports, citing Chinese media, that ChangXin Memory Technologies, or CXMT, rejected Apple's proposed supply terms. Apple reportedly sought prices below those charged by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, while CXMT wanted comparable or higher prices.
CXMT specializes in DRAM, the working memory used in computers and other electronic devices. According to the Chinese media analysis presented in the segment, existing domestic contracts have left the company with limited capacity for additional orders. Securing Apple as a customer would bring prestige, but little incentive to cut prices when Chinese buyers are already waiting.
The report argues that the impasse could frustrate Apple's attempt to use another supplier as leverage in negotiations with its existing chipmakers. That could benefit the South Korean companies in the short term.
The longer-term concern is substitution: greater Chinese production could reduce demand for imported chips. KBS reports that semiconductors account for more than half of South Korea's exports to China. It also warns that, once Chinese manufacturers have enough capacity to compete more aggressively on price, South Korean suppliers could face pressure on their profit margins.
A Chinese semiconductor manufacturer based in Hefei, Anhui, that specializes in DRAM memory chips.
More on Wikipedia ›A South Korean semiconductor company that makes DRAM and flash memory chips. It is one of the world's three largest memory manufacturers, alongside Samsung Electronics and Micron.
More on Wikipedia ›Published on Trari
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- Channel
- KBS News
- Subscribers
- 3,720,000
- Channel views, pace per day
- 17,467,906
- Video published
- October 27, 2026
- Video views so far
- 2,164,197 (2 days online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 1,515,204 (on a normal day: 1,627,487)
The numbers
The report drew about 1.5 million views since yesterday, placing it first among South Korean news Shorts in this edition.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which Chinese city is home to CXMT's headquarters?
CXMT is headquartered in Hefei, in China's Anhui province.