Sony Korea looking for rebound

Sony Korea CEO Sakai Kenji talks about the advantages of the company’s new display solution dubbed “4K” during an interview with The Korea Time at his office in Yeouido, Seoul, last Thursday. / Courtesy of Sony Korea

Company plans to

unveil smartphones

late this year

By Kim Yoo-chul

Sony looking to rebound into the Korean market by diversifying its product line-up and marketing, according to the head of the Korean arm of the Japanese technology giant.

In an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, Sony Korea CEO and President Sakai Kenji said the company is now ready to catch up with its rivals by introducing competitive devices, including smartphones.

“We may launch some technology-enriched smartphones in Korea later this year. Sony smartphones are a combination of our key technologies. They are more advanced than offerings by rivals in terms of picture and sound quality, connectivity and water proofing, which I believe is a crucial factor,” he said.

“Sony decided to put more emphasis on the categories of smartphones and imaging. We are putting our core technologies into products,” the executive said.

Sony Mobile Communications Korea was merged into Sony Korea early this year in line with its customized approach to the local smartphone market.

“Our business resilience is quite strong as we are not focusing only on one category. We have variety of business categories including digital imaging, professional solutions and devices. Sony’s strategy is also to provide new offerings that didn’t exist before, and to create a new market with innovative products,” Sakai said.

Sony recently started selling high-end ultrabooks, here, as it plans to strengthen its laptop lineup.

The CEO expects that Sony will get back on track in the Korean market this year if its diversification strategy appeals to consumers.

“Sony is now back in the game as we have diversified,” he said, stressing that the firm has reinvented itself by linking products with core technologies.

Citing the improvement in sales of cameras and smartphones, Sakai said this year will be better than the previous year in terms of revenue.

Sony Korea earned 1.27 trillion won in revenue last year, up 44.7 percent from a year ago. The firm closed its books in March, and its operating profit came to 14.5 billion won. Sony established its Korean subsidiary in 1990.

According to the CEO, one of the company’s critical earnings drivers for this year is its camera business. Sony is the leader in the domestic mirror-less camera market; but is being challenged by Samsung Electronics.

“Sony’s level of imaging sensors is the best. Because Sony’s mirror-less camera has a very good reputation and is preferred in Korea, Sony will put more advanced technology features on its cameras. From a marketing perspective, we are already successful to attract more female customers and plan to expand our customer base,” said the CEO, who started his career at Sony in April 1982.

“In Korea, People really like the self shooting function and I believe this is one of the important characteristics in our cameras,” Sakai stressed.

Sony Korea’s diversification strategy has expanded to management. The CEO has placed top priority on fostering talent.

“It’s all about people. Human capital is the biggest capital by the way. I found Korean staff outstanding and quick learners, so I have encouraged them to participate in the Global Careers Program, which we started a long time ago,” he said.

Sakai continued; “Currently, 10 Sony Korea people are dispatched globally. They are doing different types of jobs from marketing and accounting to compliance. Most of them are young. When they come back, they can be true assets.”

There are no language barriers inside the office. Sony has 240 staff members in Korea and they communicate freely by using English, Korean or Japanese. No conflicts are seen due to languages.

“Our official language is English but I sometimes speak in Japanese and little bit of Korean as well.”