SEOUL. South Korea: Washington has approved annual licences allowing South Korea's Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to ship chipmaking equipment to their factories in China in 2026, two people familiar with the matter said, offering short-term clarity as U.S. export rules tighten.

The approvals provide temporary relief for the companies and come after the United States earlier this year revoked broad licence waivers granted to some technology firms, the sources said.

One of the sources said the U.S. government has introduced an annual approval system for exports of chip manufacturing tools to China, replacing earlier arrangements that allowed more open-ended access.

Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company had previously benefited from exemptions to Washington's sweeping restrictions on chip-related exports to China. That privilege, known as validated end-user status, is set to expire on December 31. After that date, shipments of U.S.-origin chipmaking equipment to their China facilities will require export licences.

Samsung and SK Hynix declined to comment, while TSMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Department of Commerce was not immediately available for comment outside business hours.

The move reflects a broader reassessment by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has been reviewing export controls it believes were too lenient under the previous Biden administration, as Washington seeks to curb China's access to advanced American technology.

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chipmaker, and second-ranked SK Hynix count China as a key production base, particularly for traditional memory chips. Prices for those chips have been rising amid strong demand from artificial intelligence data centres and tighter global supplies.