Despite global economic uncertainties, Samsung Electronics made a record-breaking investment in research and development (R&D) last year to secure its position at the forefront of future technologies.
According to the company’s annual report released on the March 10, Samsung invested 37.7548 trillion KRW (approximately 25.33 billion USD) in R&D over the past year. This figure represents a 7.8% increase from the previous record set in 2024, translating to an average daily investment of over 100 billion KRW (approximately 67.15 million USD) in technology development.
Samsung Electronics’ massive investment is seen as a strategic move to stay ahead in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) market. The company is focusing on next-generation semiconductors, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and high-capacity DDR5 memory. In fact, Samsung solidified its leadership in the AI chip market by becoming the first to successfully mass-produce and ship HBM4 (6th generation) chips on February 12.
In addition to R&D, Samsung also took an active approach to capital expenditures (capex). The company poured 52.7 trillion KRW (approximately 35.39 billion USD) into facility investments last year, particularly in semiconductors and displays. This amount exceeded its initial plan by more than 5 trillion KRW (approximately 3.36 billion USD). In particular, the company is focusing on expanding its future production bases, such as the cutting-edge R&D complex NRD-K currently under construction at the Giheung campus.
