Samsung expects surge in non-memory chips

South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said on Tuesday it was planning to sharply boost its non-memory semiconductor business, aiming to expand annual sales in the sector by 44 percent on average over the next two years. Samsung said in response to a Reuters inquiry that its non-memory semiconductor sales were expected to rise to $1.8 billion next year from a projected $1.2 billion this year, and further to $2.5 billion in 2001. -- Reuters