SK Hynix president Lee Seok-hee has dismissed concerns that it may not be able to introduce extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment to its plant in China due to opposition from the United States.

“We still have enough time,” Lee said at a meeting with reporters after attending a ceremony for the 14th Semiconductor Day held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on Nov. 22.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai said, during her recent visit to Seoul, that the United States has put the brakes on South Korean chipmaker SK hynix Inc.'s plan to bring advanced equipment to a Chinese factory out of "legitimate concerns," adding that more such moves could be possible.

She made the remarks in her radio interview with CBS, a Seoul-based broadcaster, which was aired on Nov. 22. She visited South Korea for a four-day run from Nov. 18.

"I am aware that the technology in question is highly sensitive, and that there are legitimate concerns about the risks to national security in terms of where this technology ends up," Tai said.

Lee said SK Hynix started mass production of 1A (4th generation) nanometer products using EUV lithography equipment at its Icheon plant in Korea in July. "As to the introduction of EUV equipment to our China plant, we still have enough time, so we will introduce the equipment to the China plant through cooperation with the U.S. government," he said.

Last week, some foreign media outlets reported that SK Hynix's plan to upgrade its plant in China was likely to run aground due to opposition from the U.S. government.

SK Hynix holds the second-largest DRAM market share (27.2 percent) after Samsung Electronics. The chipmaker produces about half of its DRAMs at its plant in China.