BlockBeats News, August 14th - Analyst Jukan cited a Korean media report that Samsung Electronics is considering converting the purpose of the NRD-K 2 line at its next-generation semiconductor R&D campus in Hwaseong from R&D to a foundry production line to expand its 2nm capacity. The line will be dedicated to producing 2nm base chips for HBM, focusing on meeting the cHBM and HBM5 demand from customers such as NVIDIA. The line is expected to start operation in the second half of 2028, following a Send Fab model where it will receive wafers from other production lines and only perform specific process steps as an auxiliary foundry. NRD-K is Samsung's cutting-edge R&D campus built with an investment of approximately 20 trillion KRW, planning a total of 3 production lines, with the first line completed by the end of 2024.

This adjustment reflects Samsung's proactive positioning to capture the surge in HBM demand driven by AI infrastructure. By prioritizing the 2nm process on custom HBM and HBM5, Samsung aims to maintain a competitive edge in the performance of advanced packaging base chips. Industry observers believe that the scale of this line is relatively small, making it suitable for the Send Fab role. However, since the launch is still about two years away, the final usage may be adjusted in response to market changes, and equipment procurement orders have not been officially placed. Previously, this line was being considered for DRAM mass production, but Samsung has further consolidated its DRAM capacity at the Pyeongtaek campus. This production line change by Samsung further confirms the trend of customization of HBM base chips and advanced process technology.