By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Leaders of the world's leading technology companies will rub shoulders at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a four-day annual festival slated for Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas.
Reflecting on the global economic slump, this year's event is forcing industry leaders to go "basic" with their products to meet consumers' "frugal" needs.
Samsung, LG Electronics, Hynix Semiconductor and LG's flat-screen affiliate, LG Display, are sending their top executives in efforts to make the show a "breakthrough" for increased momentum in the North American market, company officials said, Monday.
The 2009 International CES, the biggest of its kind in North America, will feature more than 2,700 companies introducing the latest consumer technology products in 30 product categories, including digital entertainment, high-performance audio, digital imaging, electronic gaming and more, according to show organizer Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which expects the show to attract some 130,000 visitors, down from 141,150 last year.
"Our CEO, Lee Yoon-woo, will be participating to check out ongoing trends in the global consumer electronics industry on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration to his current post," Samsung spokesman Kim Nam-yong said.
"No specific plans have been set for the time being to hold a meeting with Samsung's major clients," Kim added.
Kwon Oh-hyun, chief of Samsung's semiconductor division; Lee Sang-wan, head of the company's liquid crystal display (LCD) business; and Park Jong-woo, who leads the company's digital media unit, will be on hand. The head of Samsung's telecommunication unit, Choi Gee-sung, is scheduled to meet its strategic wireless partners for talks on the development of the smart-phone market, Samsung executives said.
"Park will present a new strategy in the rapidly growing eco-friendly light emitting-diode (LED) LCD TV market, as well as more details regarding contents-based services with Yahoo," spokesman Kim Se-hun said.
"A new sales target for this year's flat-screen TV is also expected to be unveiled," Kim added. Samsung sold 20 million LCD TVs in 2008 but 2009's target may be reduced, considering the tanking U.S. economy.
Hynix CEO Kim Jong-kap is also ready to fly to Las Vegas to develop business tie-ups with major clients.
"Kim will have important meetings with chip buyers during his one-day stay Thursday," spokeswoman Park Seong-ae said.
Hynix has been pushing massive restructuring measures, including cutting the output of its computer memory chips, while selling company-owned property to boost its cash reserves.
In his New Year message, CEO Kim said his company will put this year's priority on greater stability in cash and cost-cutting.
LG Electronics, which has to tackle the sagging momentum in its key North American market, has decided to follow Samsung Electronics' lead and send CEOs of all its units.
"Kang Shin-ik, CEO of the newly created home entertainment unit; Ahn Seung-kwon, CEO of the mobile division; and Paik Woo-hyun, chief technology officer, are all set to go," spokesman Oh Se-chun said.
LG executives said the company will unveil new strategies in networking solutions, as Samsung's cross-town rival now regards the fair as a good chance to promote its ongoing transformation efforts as a "solution provider."
Flat-screen affiliate LG Display's Kwon Young-soo is scheduled to hold a series of private meetings with key clients regarding expanding its panels and boosting its client base.
LG Display is the world's No. 2 LCD panel supplier after Samsung Electronics.
The company is facing troubled times, lowering its investment and sales target due to the protracted slump in the global flat-panel industry.
Sony Chairman Howard Stringer and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will give keynote speeches.
Industry watchers say Ballmer will unveil Windows 7 ― Microsoft's latest operating system.
"Companies are wondering whether this is really the best time to enact big initiatives, when consumers are frugal," said a Korean analyst, asking not to be identified.