Samsung to invest $18.6 billion to stay ahead of competition in chips and displays

Samsung Electronics today announced that it will invest $18.6 billion in South Korea, in order to extend its lead in the memory chip and smartphone display markets. The investment should create nearly half a million jobs in Samsung's home country, according to the tech behemoth.

Samsung invests more than $10 billion annually in its chip-making departments on regular basis. The company's memory chips are expected to yield record profits this year, so further investments in the field certainly make a lot of sense.

Another big factor for Samsung to invest at ...