SK hynix Adds Over 2,000 Jobs Amid AI Boom, Contrasting Market Slowdown
Quick Look
- SK hynix Inc. expanded its workforce by over 2,000 employees last year, driven by the global AI boom and increased demand for memory chips.
- This hiring surge contrasts with a broader slowdown in South Korea's job market, where overall manufacturing employment has declined.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
SK hynix Inc. added over 2,000 positions last year due to the global AI boom and rising demand for memory chips, contrasting with a general slowdown in South Korea's job market.
SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc. added more than 2,000 positions last year amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom, which has led to a sharp rise in demand for memory chips, industry sources said Sunday.
The hiring is noteworthy as it comes amid the overall slowdown in the country's job market.
According to the sources, the number of employees at SK hynix came to 34,549 as of the end of 2025, up 2,159 from a year earlier.
Over the same period, the number of employees at Samsung Electronics Co.'s device solutions division, which covers its chip business, came to 78,064, slightly down from 78,699.
The total chip-related workforce at the two tech giants stood at 112,613 as of the end of last year, up 1,554 from a year earlier.
The overall increase came amid an unprecedented boom in demand for AI infrastructure, with the semiconductor industry anticipating continued growth in employment at major chipmakers.
Industry watchers, however, expressed concern over an uneven "K-shaped" disparity in the job market, in which only a limited number of industries are experiencing employment growth.
In May, South Korea lost 40,000 jobs from a year earlier, marking the first decline in 17 months as the impact of the prolonged Middle East war weighed on the manufacturing sector.
"Currently, South Korean industries are in a slump, with the exception of a few sectors, such as semiconductors," said Yang Jun-sok, a professor of economics at the Catholic University of Korea.
"The disparity in manufacturing employment will worsen further as automation accelerates following the adoption of robots," he added, noting the country needs improved labor market flexibility through structural reform.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Continued employment growth at major chipmakers.
Likely · Short term
Worsening disparity in manufacturing employment due to automation.
Likely · Medium term
Open Questions
- Will the AI boom continue to drive job growth in semiconductors?
- How will automation further impact manufacturing employment?
- What structural reforms are needed for labor market flexibility?
