Samsung to add new memory chip line in South Korea as COVID-19 boosts demand

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Monday it has begun construction of a new domestic production line for NAND flash memory chips, betting on demand for personal computers and servers as the coronavirus prompts more people to work from home.

The world’s largest memory chip maker is targeting the second half of next year to mass-produce the chips, used for storage, on the added line in its plant in Pyeongtaek city, which is within a two-hour drive from the capital Seoul.

Samsung said the additional capacity will also help meet demand for 5G smartphones and other devices, despite recent delays in deployments of 5G networks in Europe and other countries due to the health crisis.