Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition South Korea Government Considers Extra Budget , US-Iran Ceasefire Tested
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Apr 9, 2026 
Barbara Leaf, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, provides seasoned analysis on Middle East diplomacy. Simon Wu, head of Korea research at Bank of America Global Research, breaks down Korea's semiconductor dynamics. They discuss shaky ceasefire prospects, Strait of Hormuz disruptions and oil swings. They also explore AI-driven memory demand, chip supply constraints and global fab diversification.
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Korea Memory Boom Fueled By U.S. Big Tech
- South Korea's semiconductor boom is tightly tied to U.S. big tech demand for data-center memory chips.
- Simon Wu says Korea's memory makers benefit as hyperscalers expand capacity, driving record shipments and profits despite geopolitical risks.
Demand Outstrips Supply Despite Global Fab Expansion
- Chip demand currently outstrips supply, lifting memory prices and constraining infrastructure builds.
- Simon Wu notes fabs are expanding globally but overall production volume hasn't scaled enough to meet hyperscaler-led demand.
Korean Makers Diversify But Keep Fabs In Asia
- Korean chipmakers are diversifying manufacturing across Asia and the U.S. but will keep core fab operations in Asia.
- Wu expects majority of memory to remain Korean and foundry capacity to stay in Taiwan through 2030.