Samsung and SK to Invest 4,755 Trillion Won in AI and Semiconductors — Global Big Tech Relieved by Memory Expansion | The 454 Trillion Won Middle East Reconstruction Market Has Already Begun — 'Love Calls' Have Started | Kwon Sun-woo, 3PRO TV Reporter

Samsung, SK Invest 4,755 Trillion Won in AI and Semiconductors…Global Big Tech Relieved by Memory Expansion | The 454 Trillion Won Middle East Reconstruction Market Has Already Begun…“Love Calls Have Started” | Kwon Sun-woo 3PRO TV Reporter [News3]

Watch on YouTube ↗ | June 29, 2026 at 23:29 | 33:36 | 3PRO TV (삼프로TV)

Speakers

Kwon Soon-woo — Reporting Team Lead, 3PRO TV

Summary

Kwon Sun-woo, reporting team leader at 3PRO TV, presents three major news segments. First, Samsung and SK Group have announced a combined 4,755 trillion won mega-investment plan in AI semiconductors and memory fabs, driven by desperate global demand from AI leaders facing a memory bottleneck expected to last through 2030. Second, the Middle East reconstruction market worth an estimated 454 trillion won is already generating early inquiries to Korean construction firms, with the government launching a dedicated task force. Third, the weak Korean won is fueling a record foreign tourist spending boom at Korean department stores and a K-beauty export surge, with some brands generating nearly all revenue overseas.

Samsung and SK commit 4,755 trillion won in combined AI and semiconductor investments across multiple regional clusters through 2030-2040
Global AI leaders including NVIDIA's Jensen Huang are explicitly pleading for more memory supply; memory shortage expected to persist through 2030
Without Korean memory expansion, elevated prices will allow Chinese competitors like CXMT to gain market share and fund technology catch-up
Construction companies are the first beneficiaries of the semiconductor fab boom, with the first new fab completing early next year
Middle East reconstruction market worth ~454 trillion won is starting, with Korean construction firms receiving early 'love calls' from clients
Korean government launched a Middle East Infrastructure Cooperation Task Force on June 26 for government-to-government project negotiations
Weak won driving record foreign tourist spending at Korean department stores — combined foreign sales expected to exceed 3 trillion won in 2024
K-beauty brands like Dr. Melaxin, Mixsoon, and Equalical generate 95-100% of revenue from overseas platforms despite being unknown domestically

Ideas

Kwon Soon-woo Reporting Team Lead, 3PRO TV 9:29

Memory bottleneck drives massive Korean capex

Global AI infrastructure buildout faces a critical memory bottleneck. Jensen Huang and other AI leaders are explicitly pleading for more memory supply, and the memory chip shortage is expected to persist through 2030. Samsung and SK Hynix are committing a combined 4,755 trillion won in capex, backed by Korean government support, to double memory production capacity by 2030 with massive new fabs (Yongin cluster, Cheongju packaging, Honam region). Without this Korean-led memory expansion, elevated memory prices will persist and Chinese competitors like CXMT will capture market share and use those profits as fuel to close the technology gap. The global AI ecosystem depends on Korean memory makers scaling supply, creating a structural demand tailwind.

Kwon Soon-woo Reporting Team Lead, 3PRO TV 17:46

Construction benefits first from fab boom

The Middle East reconstruction market, estimated at approximately 454 trillion won (~$300 billion), is already generating early inquiries and 'love calls' to Korean construction companies. Middle East clients prefer Korean contractors based on trust built over decades of past projects. Although full-scale construction has not yet begun because the war is not fully resolved, maintenance and repair parts orders are already flowing in, and early-stage discussions with existing partners are underway. The Korean government launched a Middle East Infrastructure Cooperation Task Force on June 26, and a 'Team Korea' integrated government-to-government negotiation approach will be critical for winning large bundled projects in power, construction, and plant sectors. This is expected to be a long-term reconstruction cycle rather than a one-off project.

Kwon Soon-woo Reporting Team Lead, 3PRO TV 24:22

Weak won supercharges department store sales

The weak Korean won is driving a record foreign tourist spending boom at Korean department stores. The Big 3 department stores' combined foreign customer sales are expected to surpass a record 3 trillion won in 2024, up from 2 trillion won last year. Lotte Department Store foreign sales jumped 110% YoY through May, and Shinsegae surged 137% YoY. Each of the Big 3 is individually targeting over 1 trillion won in foreign sales this year. Unlike past Chinese group-tour duty-free cosmetics shopping, today's tourists are visiting department stores individually and buying high-end goods, creating a higher-value mixed consumption pattern. Over 22 million foreign visitors are expected in 2024.

Kwon Soon-woo Reporting Team Lead, 3PRO TV 26:24

K-beauty exports booming on weak won

K-beauty brands are experiencing explosive overseas sales growth driven by the weak won and global demand on platforms like Amazon, TikTok Shop, Ulta Beauty, and Boots. Some K-beauty brands generate nearly all revenue from exports — Dr. Melaxin at 97%, Mixsoon at 95%, and Equalical at 100% overseas sales — to the point where they are virtually unknown domestically in Korea yet thriving internationally. The weak won makes Korean exports more price-competitive, and the global K-content wave continues to pull demand for K-beauty products.

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This 3PRO TV (삼프로TV) video, published June 29, 2026, features Kwon Soon-woo discussing 000660.KS, 005930.KS, Korean construction sector, 023530.KS, 004170.KS, Dr. Melaxin, Equalical, Mixsoon, K-beauty sector. 4 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Kwon Soon-woo · Tickers: 000660.KS, 005930.KS, Korean construction sector, 023530.KS, 004170.KS, Dr. Melaxin, Equalical, Mixsoon, K-beauty sector