Samsung board approves GPU investment

The electronics giant's board of directors approved an investment in graphics processing units for the first time since 2012.

Samsung Electronics' Seocho office in southern Seoul [YONHAP]

The Samsung Electronics board of directors agreed to invest in graphics processing units (GPUs), according to its May electronic disclosure.

The company's management committee comprising four inside directors — Han Jong-hee, Roh Tae-moon, Park Hark-kyu and Lee Jung-bae — approved of an investment in GPUs during its March meeting, the disclosure showed.

"The agenda was on the purchase of server GPUs for internal purposes," said a Samsung Electronics spokesperson Tuesday.

Neither the amount of the investment nor further details were specified in the report.

It is first time since 2012 that meeting minutes have contained the approval of a GPU investment, while countless investment decisions on memory and foundry — the contract manufacturing of chips — have been approved, according to past disclosures.

The management committee reviews the company's general business and finances, making decisions on its key strategy such as overseas advancement and investment in technology or facilities.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]