Samsung, LG air conditioner sales surge ahead of summer

This photo shows the company's new air conditioners. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Sales of air conditioners from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics grew sharply from a year earlier in the first quarter as consumers brace for what is expected to be an unusually hot summer, the companies said Thursday.

Samsung Electronics said sales of its home air conditioners jumped 51 percent year-on-year in the January-March period.

Sales in March alone surged 61 percent compared with the same month last year.

LG Electronics said its first-quarter sales of air conditioners spiked 60 percent from a year earlier, with sales in March skyrocketing 80 percent year-on-year.

Both companies said they have been operating their air conditioner production lines at full capacity to meet the soaring demand.

In its annual climate outlook, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast a 60 percent chance that the summer of 2025 will be hotter than average.