The Korea Times

Samsung Mobile keen on brighter flat-screens

AM-OLED venture aims at record sales amid booming demand By Kim Yoo-chul CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province ― Being on top means everything at least in component-related businesses as the biggest vendors in memory chips or flat-screens enjoy undeniable bargaining power regardless of the sector’s cyclical nature. Samsung is the biggest supplier of memory chips used in almost all electronic devices. It also leads the flat-screen market. Now, Asia’s most valuable technology company is spending big for aggressive pushes for advanced and brighter flat-screen business amid the flattening demand for conventional LCDs and explosive growth for premium devices such as smartphones. Its OLED joint venture, Samsung Mobile Display (SMD), has been showing the way. Samsung Electronics is the major shareholder in SMD, followed by Samsung SDI. OLED technology is divided into two areas ― passive-matrix (PM) OLED and active-matrix (AM) OLED. PM-OLED is still the market’s mainstream, however, it is becoming outdated due to the technological limits for wider OLED applications. SMD is

May 17, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG Electronics faces important Optimus test

Release of Optimus Pad in Korea scrapped By Kim Yoo-chul LG Electronics is caught in the crossfire between iPad maker Apple and Galaxy Tab manufacturer Samsung Electronics in the battle to reign in the local tablet market. Chances are low for LG to survive unscathed. Tablets are another key area to improve corporate profitability along with smartphones, but LG has no options as tablet users in Korea simply choose between either Apple’s iPad or the Android-based Galaxy Tab. ``LG has reached a broad consensus that our Optimus Pad would fail to create an impact,’’ said an LG executive, Monday. LG scrapped its plan to release the Optimus Pad in Korea, and the high-ranking LG executive said that it was mainly due to the lack of device competitiveness and higher pricing. An LG Electronics spokesman said it was re-examining the feasibility of introducing the Optimus Pad locally, citing sluggish tablet sales and carriers’ heavy interest in the Apple and Samsung tablets. ``LG doubts that tablets would create big revenue amid ailing mobile-related businesses. We have less

May 16, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Hynix edges Rambus in patent case

By Kim Yoo-chul Hynix Semiconductor, the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker, chalked up a victory against U.S.-based chip designer Rambus in litigation, in which the latter claimed the former infringed on its patents. A U.S. appeals court overturned a decision made in 2009 by a lower court, which obliged Hynix to pay $400 million to Rambus. The fact that Rambus had destroyed hundreds of boxes of documents related to the suit worked in favorably for Hynix. Thanks to the judgment, Hynix is estimated to save as much as $500 million ― the initial penalty of $400 million plus interest and royalties, which amounts to about 20 percent of its net profits of 2.65 trillion won last year. ``Chances are that the case will not be reviewed in the highest court. Rambus is likely to accept the verdict,’’ said a lawyer who specializes in trade-related issues in a telephone interview with The Korea Times. Rambus officials in Korea weren’t available for comments. Understandably, Hynix welcomed the news from the United States. ``Hynix welcomes the decision against the Sun

May 15, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

WorldITShow SK Telecom spends big in push for innovation

CEO Ha Sung-min vows shift toward platform business By Kim Yoo-chul SK Telecom chief executive Ha Sung-min is investing more of his time and the corporation’s money in the search for what’s next. Ha is moving into a so-called ``second arena’’ from conventional telecommunication-centric fields, and is talking about the importance of content- and platform-related areas. ``The more I learn about the world of smart devices, the more I see that innovation and changes are more than critical,’’ said the chief executive at the SK Group-affiliated telecom unit. ``We need a breakthrough; we need multiple breakthroughs. We need to push open-based businesses and spend more on platform-related businesses in order to give more value to customers,’’ the top executive said. Since late last year, the financial and management expert Ha has been leading the telecommunication firm, which controls more than 50 percent of the local telecom market. The steadily growing demand for value-added handsets, here ― one of the world’s the most-wired societies ― and the release of new tablet com

May 12, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

WorldITShow Revamped LG unveiling full product lineup

Under ownership management, LG aims at early breakthrough By Kim Yoo-chul LG has been suffering over the past few years as it was late to join the league of the so-called “smart” consumer digital devices such as smartphones. But LG officials and analysts believe that this year will be more than different from the last few as the LG brand is reversing that tradition with a rejuvenated, stylish and well-crafted product lineup. They said LG, which is the world’s second-biggest TV maker, is finally receiving “product pulses” less than a year after it was shocked by a plunge in profit under the rein of its former boss. LG has returned to management under the ownership of LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo as he has named his younger brother Bon-joon as the chief executive of the then ailing LG Electronics, replacing Nam Yong. Nam, who had helped LG rise in the world of feature phones capitalizing on its impressive success of design-focused Prada-, Shine-, and Chocolate-branded mobiles, handed over the top seat to the younger Koo as he believed that the ship needed a new and c

May 12, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

WorldITShow KT taking quantum leap under Lees leadership

By Kim Yoo-chul No wonder the KT chief executive Lee Suk-chae is better known as “Mr. Taskmaster” and “Bulldozer.” The former telecom minister has led KT to an array of smart gadgets such as Apple’s iPhones since taking over the top-tier local telecommunications firm in early 2009. Just six days after he took the helm, Lee declared the acquisition of KTF, — a former subsidiary specializing in mobile communications services, as a mid-term strategy to transform KT into a provider of convergent services. Last year, its total revenue rose to a record 20.23 trillion won — an increase of 7 percent from the preceding year. Operating profits were boosted by 117 percent to 2.53 trillion won while net profit for the full 2010 soared by 93 percent to 1.17 trillion won, data from the Korea Exchange (KRX) showed. KT is the nation’s dominant fixed-line operator. It is also narrowing the gap with its biggest local rival SK Telecom in the rapidly-growing local smartphone sector. “Since Lee became CEO of the company, it has seen drastic changes in the decision-

May 11, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

WorldITShow The Grand Blue

Samsung rises in the world of smart devices By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics is becoming more powerful in the world of smart electronic devices ranging from tablets and smartphones to smart televisions thanks to ``on-time’’ product releases. No doubt, Samsung’s key merits are its decisive management, efficient and well-managed manufacturing prowess and units that function well together. Samsung is the leader in global computer memory chips, flat-screens and televisions, while it only trails the leader Nokia in the overall handsets industry. Now, Samsung is getting ``smarter’’ as it is set to simplify lives with its smartphones, tablets and televisions. Also, Samsung has seen an improvement of its supply-chain management (SCM) structures region-by-region, leading it to better manage inventories and to respond to requests from consumers on a real-time basis, according to Samsung officials. Samsung is also no longer an Apple chaser. Foreign firms once led the way in value-added devices like the iPhone. But Samsung has become what Apple can now claim a rival w

May 10, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

World IT Show kicks off today

By Kim Yoo-chul The seventh World IT Show starts its four-day run at the COEX exhibition hall in southern Seoul, today. The annual event will show off the latest mobile and online devices from over 500 firms under the theme of “Get IT Smart.” IT stands for information technology. To be held on the sidelines of the show is a gathering of communication ministers from 21 countries to explore areas of future cooperation, while noted scholars will debate new trends and strategies in the “smart society.” “Preparing Korea for the upcoming smart society and mobile revolution is a priority,” Korea Communications Commission Chairman Choi See-joong said in a contributing article to The Korea Times. Attending the show are Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Telecom and KT, as well as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Qualcomm. The World IT Show is the Korean version of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Smartphones, three dimensional TVs and smart TVs are the top items, while telecom companies display their latest handset technologies, the organizers a

May 10, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Companies

Doosan to raise $470 mil. for ailing builder

Market shows no particular reaction By Kim Yoo-chul Doosan Group has approved a fundraising plan in an apparent strategy to save its construction business, company officials said, Tuesday. A total of 500 billion won or $470 million needs to be raised to save Doosan Engineering and Construction (E&C), they said, with about 300 billion won coming from a proposed shares sale. The package is aimed at dealing with liquidity problems at the construction unit, which is grappling with project financing investment problems amid the continued sluggish local construction market, said spokesman Lee Jay-hyung. Doosan will use exchangeable bonds (EB), convertible bonds (CB) and bonds with warrants (BW) as the other cash raising tools. The officials said it will use only equity capital market measures, not a public offering. Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction plans to buy around 220 billion won worth of shares, giving it a 72.8 percent stake in Doosan E&C. ``That would be a win-win strategy. Doosan Heavy will have a 20 percent larger stake than it needs to secure manageme

May 10, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung searching for ways to stay ahead

Rivals’ alliance, reported breakthrough keeping Korean tech giant on its toes By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics has overcome a lot of challenges to reach its leading position in chip making. It is now facing an odd challenge ― client risk. Simply put, it means that Samsung has done so good a job as to make competitors feel uneasy. Another challenge of a lesser degree is Elpida Memory, Samsung’s Japanese rival, which claims that it has reached a milestone in chip-making technology of producing the first computer memory chip using ultra-fine technology. ``If anything, these challenges are being taken as a chance for us to keep searching for ways to stay ahead,’’ said a high-ranking Samsung executive. Samsung controls over 40 percent of the global demand for memory chips used in almost all electronic devices from TVs and monitors to smartphones. The semiconductor business is significant for Samsung since it is considered a buffer when its other businesses struggle. More than 60 percent of revenue from Samsung comes from component-related business includi

May 9, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Yoo-chul

Read more

Samsung Mobile keen on brighter flat-screens

LG Electronics faces important Optimus test

Hynix edges Rambus in patent case

WorldITShow SK Telecom spends big in push for innovation

WorldITShow Revamped LG unveiling full product lineup

WorldITShow KT taking quantum leap under Lees leadership

WorldITShow The Grand Blue

World IT Show kicks off today

Doosan to raise $470 mil. for ailing builder

Samsung searching for ways to stay ahead

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