Japanese Yen at 40-Year Low, KRW/USD Breaks 1550…Korea-Japan Weakness Together | Following Gwangju, Haenam, Gochang…Samsung, SK Build Semiconductor Fabs, AI Data Centers | Kwon Soon-woo 3PRO TV Reporter [NEWS3]

Summary

Kwon Soon-woo, 3PRO TV reporter, reviews major market news: the simultaneous historic weakness of KRW and JPY despite differing fundamentals, the massive 895 trillion won semiconductor megacluster investment by Samsung and SK Hynix, and several corporate developments including Samsung Electro-Mechanics' AI server MLCC contract, EU steel quotas favorable to Korea, EcoPro BM's rights offering, and surging European ramen sales by Korean food companies. He highlights the puzzling lack of market reaction to positive semiconductor equipment catalysts and notes the confusing nature of current FX markets.

• KRW/USD breaches 1550, yen at 39-year low; both currencies weaken in tandem without clear fundamental reason.
• Samsung, SK Hynix megacluster capex now estimated at 895 trillion won, with Samsung committing to Gwangju.
• US semiconductor equipment stocks have rallied on the megacluster news, but Korean equipment stocks lag.
• Samsung Electro-Mechanics confirms 450 billion won AI server MLCC supply contract and plans 15 trillion won expansion.
• EU steel import quotas cut 46% overall, but Korea's cut only 20%, giving relative advantage.
• EcoPro BM announces 1.2 trillion won rights offering for Indonesian nickel smelter, causing dilution concerns.
• Korean ramen companies (Nongshim, Samyang Foods, Ottogi) see 60%+ sales growth in Europe.