[News Space=Reporter seungwon lee] Samsung Electronics (005930) has launched an internal investigation after it was discovered that it received bribes from a Taiwanese distributor to secure memory chip allocations. Industry publication DigiTimes reported on December 17th, "Samsung Taiwanese employees are suspected of receiving kickbacks from the distributor," and "the company has taken personnel action in its marketing and sales departments." Samsung explained that this was "part of routine operating procedures," but did not disclose further details.

According to Reuters and DropReference, this incident occurred amid a severe memory chip shortage caused by surging demand for AI (artificial intelligence) data centers. Distributors were reported to have paid rebates to Samsung employees to secure DRAM allocations, favorable prices, and access to limited products. Indeed, Samsung's semiconductor division recently drew industry attention by rejecting a DRAM supply request from its own mobile division, citing insufficient production capacity. 

DRAM price surge hits consumers and businesses alike

As the AI ​​craze sweeps the memory market, prices are also rising sharply. Spot prices for DDR5 chips surged from $6.84 in September 2025 to over $27 in early December, a roughly 300% increase in just three months. Consumer RAM kits also saw prices double or triple, with 64GB DDR5 kits soaring from the $200 range to $750. Server DRAM contract prices rose 30-60%, with some segments seeing monthly increases of 80-100%.

Micron Announces Withdrawal from Consumer Market, Driven by AI Demand

The supply shortage has led to a shift in strategy among global memory manufacturers. Micron announced on December 3, 2025, that it would completely withdraw from the Crucial consumer brand. The 29-year-old brand plans to complete consumer product shipments by February 2026, after which it will focus on AI and data center customers. Micron explained, "With the surge in demand for AI and data centers, we are unable to simultaneously allocate production capacity to both consumer and enterprise markets.

Supply shortage expected to continue until 2027

Industry analysts predict the memory shortage will persist beyond 2027. SK Hynix (000660) has stated that the shortage could last until late 2027, and Samsung is also focused on maintaining long-term profitability. Building a new semiconductor plant takes at least two years, and manufacturers are cautious about overinvesting due to uncertainty about the sustainability of AI demand.

The ripple effect across the industry

The memory shortage is impacting not only prices but also increasing IT costs for consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), widening the digital divide, and shaping strategic decisions for semiconductor manufacturers. Micron's withdrawal from the consumer market has put the memory supply and demand for PCs and small businesses at risk, while Samsung and SK Hynix are also maintaining a strategy of focusing on the enterprise and AI markets rather than the consumer market.