Emir BardakçıSamsung Electronics has made a key strategic adjustment in the semiconductor business, a new report from South Korean outlet IT Chosun said. The company has reorganized the DS division and formed a new Self-Developed SoC Development Team within the System LSI Business Unit. This development reflects the ambition of Samsung to make its in-house chip development ecosystem more solid as global demand for custom processors continues unabated.
Leadership Restructuring Signals Greater R&D Autonomy
According to industry sources, the new team is part of the SoC business unit and is led by Vice President Park Bong-il, a veteran in custom semiconductor development. Park will be tasked, after the promotion, with strengthening the company’s overall architecture capabilities and speeding up next-generation SoC projects. His appointment underlines how Samsung wants to transition from its custom “design-on-demand” services toward full-stack chip development.
A Shift From Outsourcing to Independent Core Architecture
The restructuring is a key strategic evolution for Samsung’s System LSI division: instead of designing chips precisely to the letter from its customers, Samsung is now positioning itself as a developer of complete SoC platforms based on its own IP and core architectures. Stronger capabilities in areas like SoC structure, AI processing, sensing technologies, NPU design, and internal IP creation will allow Samsung to serve major customers more deeply.
Global Tech Trends Push Samsung Toward Self-Developed Chips
Currently, the trend within the industry is geared towards in-house chip design. Companies such as Apple, Tesla, and Meta have strong investments in custom processors, which they are using for AI workloads, imaging systems, autonomous platforms, and mobile computing. In this respect, Samsung aims at competitiveness by widening the share of its self-developed SoC business and relying on an R&D leadership system more cohesive and powerful.
Samsung Builds on Earlier Structural Improvements
Backing Samsung’s foray into internal SoC development are years of organizational restructuring. In 2020, the company integrated design support teams across its foundry and System LSI divisions, creating a single custom SoC unit. Late in 2023, Samsung reorganized its system semiconductor division into three major components: SoC development, image sensors, and LSI products-while simultaneously establishing a market intelligence team that tracks global trends and shapes long-term strategies.
Personnel Changes Reinforce Cutting-Edge SoC Development
This reshuffling reinforces Samsung’s semiconductor leadership even further. Park Yong-in remains at the helm, where he has taken charge of reviving Samsung’s AP business, while promotion in these positions underlines the importance of cutting-edge SoC innovation. According to analysts, such an adjustment could be related to the company’s pursuit of new high-value clients and will enable it to further deepen collaboration between the System LSI division and foundry operations at Samsung.
A Strategic Move to Attract Major Global Clients
Experts in the field believe that the establishment of the new SoC team is closely related to securing partnerships with leading technology firms. As Professor Lee Jong-hwan explained, the new structure helps Samsung to better grasp the needs of key customers and respond to them more precisely, which could open a window to deeper integration between design and manufacturing.
Samsung Gears Up for AI-Driven Semiconductor Future
Taken all together, the latest organizational updates from Samsung paint a coherent picture of strategic priorities: all-in on next-generation SoC innovation and preparing for a future dominated by both AI-driven and highly specialized chips. With increasing competition in an environment of shifting global demand toward customized semiconductor solutions, Samsung is positioning itself to transform from a traditional manufacturer into a company that provides complete, fully self-developed system-level chip platforms.
