EUGENE — A South Korean buyer has re-emerged in the sale of a shuttered Eugene computer-chip plant, and local development officials are hopeful a deal will be done soon to convert the plant into a solar cell factory.

The Hynix computer chip plant was shuttered in 2008. Ownership cited poor market conditions.

South Korean firm Uni-Chem, which is expanding into the solar market, pledged last year to buy the plant and surrounding land for $45 million.

Talks broke off, but Jack Roberts of Lane Metro Partnership says a Uni-Chem subsidiary has signed a contract with Hynix.

— From wire reports