Samsung Electronics creates quality control office

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Wed, September 27, 2017 | 03:21

Samsung Electronics creates quality control office

Posted : 2017-03-02 16:47

Updated : 2017-03-02 19:20

By Kang Seung-woo

Samsung Electronics has set up an office in charge of improving product quality, the tech giant announced, Thursday.

Kim Jong-ho

The move is the latest step for the company to recover from the humiliating global recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones last year and regain consumer confidence.

"An office for global product quality improvements directly under CEO Kwon Oh-hyun has been created, with Kim Jong-ho, the production head of Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), at the helm," Samsung said in a press release.

"Kim, a top manufacturing expert, will lead the firm's moves to improve product quality and manufacturing across its businesses."

The world's largest smartphone maker killed off its latest flagship smartphone only two months after it started selling them in August, following reports some of the devices were catching fire while charging.

On Jan. 23, Samsung blamed the poorly designed and manufactured batteries for the overheating problem and Samsung Electronics' mobile chief Koh Dong-jin vowed to enhance product stability to prevent the recurrence of such accidents.

In the aftermath of the Note 7 setback, Samsung Electronics surrendered the top spot to its archrival Apple in smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of last year for the first time in five years, according to U.S. research firm Strategy Analytics.

In addition, the recall was estimated to have cost Samsung about $5.3 billion.

Kim joined Samsung Electronics in 1983 and contributed to the firm emerging as the world's top smartphone maker, holding various posts including chief of the global technology center.

In 2015, he was awarded the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit for his contribution to expanding the electronics and IT industries. The prize is the nation's highest decoration for a businessperson. Last March, Kim was transferred to the unprofitable shipbuilding unit of Samsung Group.

ksw@ktimes.com