Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
LG Electronics sets up 1st overseas TV R&D branch in Indonesia
Park Hyoung-sei, head of LG Electronics' Home Entertainment (HE) Division, speaks during an opening ceremony of the company's Indonesia R&D Lab in Cibitung, Indonesia, Thursday. Courtesy of LG Electronics
By Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
LG Electronics established its first overseas R&D Lab in Indonesia dedicated to conducting research activities on TV products as part of its strategy to improve efficiency of new model development in the Southeast Asian nation, its largest TV production base in Asia, according to the company, Thursday.
The home appliance maker said its Home Entertainment (HE) Division, which supervises its TV business, opened the R&D Lab in Cibitung, 3.5 kilometers from its TV production facility and about 40 kilometers from Jakarta where its sales entity is located.
With the R&D Lab, LG Electronics completed its localized business structure, which starts with R&D and continues with production, sales and after-sales service.
“As the variety of TVs made at our Indonesia factory has increased, there has been a need to launch an R&D center,” a company spokesperson said. “The Asian market is growing rapidly and becoming increasingly important, so we have set up our first overseas R&D subsidiary to target the market.”
LG has taken its Indonesia plant as a key production base for the global market. Currently, LG produces most of its TVs in Indonesia, with the exception of a few high-priced products. TVs made there are sold on many continents, including most countries in Asia.
LG Electronics' Indonesia R&D Lab in Cibitung / Courtesy of LG Electronics
The will also gradually expand the number of researchers at the R&D Lab to 500 by 2025. To strengthen the capabilities of local employees, the company is also recruiting TV researchers and developers there and conducting education activities. It added it plans to launch a joint recruitment program with local universities to secure local employees.
“LG Electronics' competitiveness in the global display industry will be enhanced further by the establishment of a local business structure that includes R&D, production, sales and service,” said Park Hyoung-sei, head of the company's HE Division. “We expect the R&D Lab will play a leading role in innovating technology and creating products that meet customer demands.”