S. Korean chipmakers to solidify leadership amid DRAM price hike

South Korean chipmakers will likely solidify their leadership while the prices of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips are on the rebound, analysts said Friday.

The Taipei-based Dramexchange Technology Inc., the operator of Asia`s biggest spot market for chips, said early in the day that the price of the benchmark DDR2 DRAM chip soared to US$1.41 as of Thursday, a 74.1 percent rise compared to January when, it hit bottom at $0.81.

The price of a DDR3 DRAM chip, the improvement on its predecessor, the DDR2 DRAM chip, rose 77.2 percent to $1.56 four months after it reached a low of $0.88.

DRAM chips are used in most personal computers and other electronic devices, such as mobile phones.

As demand for personal computers, especially laptop computers, is growing along with signs of economic recovery, it will have a positive impact on Samsung Electronics Co. and Hynix Semiconductor Co., which have a technological edge over their global competitors.

"Samsung and Hynix are so far the largest suppliers of DDR3 DRAM chips," said Seo Won-suk, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities.