South Korea's top two tech brands posted record-high shares in the global dynamic random access memory chip market in the third quarter of the year, data showed Monday, expanding their lead over the No. 3 U.S. player Micron Technology Inc.

Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. accounted for 46.7 percent and 28 percent of the global DRAM market in the July-September period, respectively, the data compiled by industry tracker DRAMeXchange showed.

The combined share held by the two South Korean firms came to 74.7 percent, up 1.9 percentage points from the prior three-month period, it added.

South Korea has continued to post record shares in the DRAM market since the third quarter of 2014, when the two firms held a 68.2 percent stake.

Micron Technology Inc., on the other hand, saw its share reach 19.2 percent in the third quarter, losing its 20-percent level presence in the market. Taiwan's Nanya Technology Corp. and Winbond Electronics Corp. trailed with 2.9 percent and 1.3 percent each.

Industry watchers, meanwhile, said the falling demand for PC DRAMs and the prolonged economic slump still pose challenges for South Korean chipmakers as it could spark a decline in chip prices.

The global contract price for a DDR3 4GB module, the standard in setting the price of DRAMs, came to $16.70 in October, down 9.5 percent from $18.5 posted in September, separate data compiled by industry tracker DRAMeXchange showed. (Yonhap)