The world’s largest memory chipmaker, Samsung Electronics, said on Friday it begun work on a new semiconductor research and development (R&D) complex in South Korea.
The world’s largest memory chip maker said plans to invest about 20 trillion won ($15 billion) in the centre at Giheung, south of the capital Seoul, over the next six years.
Samsung, which is the second largest manufacturer of computers chips, said it is keen to maintain its leadership in chip technology.
The new facility will lead advanced research on next-generation devices and processes for memory and system chips, as well as development of new tech based on a long-term roadmap.
“Samsung Electronics is seeking to overcome the limits of semiconductor scaling,” it said in a statement.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by newly-pardoned Samsung Electronics vice-chairman Jay Y Lee and top executives.
“We need to continue our tradition of investing pre-emptively and emphasizing technology,” Lee said during the ceremony.
Lee later met chip business employees and separately met with executives to discuss ways to secure technology to expand semiconductor leadership, Samsung said.
- Reuters with additional editing by Jim Pollard
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