US blacklisting of China's SMIC benefits S. Korean chipmakers: analysts

South Korea's chipmakers would be able to secure more orders due to restrictions on US firms in exporting their products and technologies to China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) without obtaining a license.

The restriction means SMIC could struggle to get advanced chip materials and equipment from the US, making it difficult to fill their customers' orders.

The US Commerce Department said that exports to SMIC pose an "unacceptable risk" of being used for China's military activities, prompting it to add the firm to its blacklist.

Analysts say that the US move will benefit South Korean foundry firms, such as DB HiTek Co., Samsung Electronics Co., SK hynix Inc., as well as local chip equipment suppliers.

According to Kim Yang-jae, an analyst at KTB Investment & Securities, DB HiTek is likely to benefit the most from the SMIC blacklist as its business area overlaps with the latter.

Samsung is the world's second-largest contract chipmaker behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, with DB HiTek the 10th.

Since the US move also impacts Huawei Technologies Co., analysts said South Korean firms like Samsung that compete against the Chinese tech titan could benefit.

Eugene Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo pointed out that since SMIC's biggest customer is Huawei, accounting for 18.7 percent of its sales, the latest US restriction further chokes Huawei.