SEOUL: South Korean electronics giant Samsung has begun construction of a new domestic production line for NAND flash memory chips. The company is 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, which are used for storage.

Samsung said the additional capacity will also help meet demand for 5G smartphones and other devices. Analysts estimate Samsung will invest more than US$5.70 billion in the new plant.