Samsung Makes Record R&D Investment in Q1

Samsung Electronics spent a total of 5.36 trillion won in research and development in the first quarter, surpassing its previous record of 5.32 trillion won in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The amount accounted for 9.7 percent of the company's first-quarter sales, slightly growing from the same period last year.

Samsung had been spending more than 5 trillion won in the R&D sector per quarter since late 2018, with the exception of the final quarter of 2019, when when the tech giant suffered a downcycle in the semiconductor market.

R&D spending was pushed to 20.19 trillion won last year, exceeding the 20 trillion won mark for the first time.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Samsung intends to maintain its quarterly R&D investment, targetting over 20 trillion won throughout the year.

According to Samsung's chairman of the semiconductor division, Kim Ki-nam, the company will consistently invest in technologies to widen the gap with competitors despite the pandemic.

Samsung plans to invest 133 trillion won on their system-on-chip business by 2030, and 13 trillion won on a quantum-dot display by 2025.