According to the reports, Pistorio hoped to wrap up the negotiations within weeks. The proposed plant is expected to produce DRAM and flash memory. The move would represent a remarkable rehabilitation for Hynix, which just a year or two ago was staring into the abyss.

Rivals charged that the only thing that saved Hynix from collapse was the support of the Korean government, a position that has led them to call for action from the US and EU against the company.