Samsung Old Hwaseong NAND Fab Undergoes Transformation, DRAM Capacity Expected to Surge in the 2H2026

According to Korean media reports, Samsung has officially entered the preparation phase to launch operations of the back-end wafer fab at its Hwaseong Line 12 this month.

Retrofit Completed to Support Advanced DRAM Back-End Processes

Samsung Electronics completed the retrofit of its Hwaseong Line 12 facility this month, marking the end of the original production mission for this fab, which previously mass-produced conventional 2D NAND flash memory. As 2D NAND belongs to an older, niche storage product with steadily weakening market competitiveness, Samsung had previously decided to cease shipments of this product this year. The investment plan for the Line 12 retrofit was finalized around the middle of last year, and the shutdown and equipment relocation of the aging NAND flash plant in Hwaseong have recently been completed.

Instead of being shut down and abandoned, this production line has achieved efficient revitalization of legacy capacity and functional transformation. According to reports, the retrofitted Hwaseong Line 12 will serve as a back-end fab, supporting the back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes for Hwaseong Line 15. Line 15 is responsible for mass-producing the industry's most advanced DRAM, including 1b (fifth-generation 10nm-class) and 1c (sixth-generation 10nm-class) chips. The two production lines will form a highly synergistic manufacturing system, addressing the back-end process bottlenecks in high-end DRAM production, optimizing the overall manufacturing workflow, and effectively improving both mass-production efficiency and yield rates for advanced DRAM.

Capacity About to Be Released, DRAM Shipments Set for Steady Growth in 2H2026

This strategic transformation of Samsung's legacy Hwaseong facility is a key move in expanding the company's advanced DRAM capacity, set to bring significant capacity gains to its memory business. The Hwaseong Line 12 previously had a monthly 2D NAND flash capacity of approximately 100,000 wafers. It is reported that the back-end processes are expected to commence operations as early as the second half of this year. 

After completing its functional transformation and adapting to DRAM back-end processes, the idle capacity of this line will be fully converted into high-end DRAM production capability, effectively expanding Samsung's overall advanced DRAM capacity scale.