June 15, 2026 – The global AI boom is reshaping the semiconductor workforce, with SK Hynix emerging as a rare hiring bright spot in South Korea’s otherwise sluggish job market.
The memory chipmaker added over 2,100 employees last year, pushing its total headcount to 34,549 by the end of 2025 — a sharp contrast to the broader slowdown sweeping the nation’s labor market.
Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics took a different path. Its Device Solutions (DS) division, which houses the company’s chip operations, saw its workforce shrink slightly to 78,064 from 78,699 a year earlier.
Combined, the two Korean tech giants employed 112,613 people in their semiconductor businesses at the close of last year, a net gain of 1,554.
Beyond hiring, SK Hynix is also making waves on Wall Street. Sources familiar with the matter say the company is leaning toward listing on Nasdaq as it prepares for a potential U.S. IPO — a move that could come as early as August. The stock has already surged 230% year-to-date, and the company’s market capitalization broke through the $1 trillion mark in May.
