Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are accelerating their U.S. semiconductor investments faster than their expansion in South Korea's Honam regional semiconductor cluster. Industry analysts identify pressure from the U.S. federal government to build domestic capacity and the need to capture AI-chip demand from Big Tech customers as the main drivers. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly urged both companies in July to build memory wafer fabs in the United States during an event at a Micron production facility. U.S. pressure intensified after the companies announced large-scale Honam investments. U.S. facilities would also place them closer to major technology customers, supporting transactions, joint research and development, talent exchanges and other collaboration. Onshore production of customized high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a memory technology used in advanced AI systems, is viewed as important to competing with Chinese rivals CXMT and YMTC. SK Hynix has begun work on a more than $3.87 billion advanced packaging facility and AI memory research and development center in West Lafayette, Indiana. The site is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028 and will mass-produce AI memory products, including next-generation HBM. Samsung has invested more than $37 billion in a foundry cluster in Taylor, Texas; its first fab is in final preparations and aims to begin operations within this year, while a second fab is expected to break ground by the end of this year and target mass production by 2030. Meanwhile, the roughly ₩800 trillion Honam cluster faces infrastructure uncertainties involving power, water and site development. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has held private dinners with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to discuss infrastructure support and responses to U.S. investment pressure.