Lee Chung: Foldable Phone OLED Production "Progressing Smoothly"
Chuldong Jung: "Improved Performance Expected in the Second Half"
LG Display Weighs 8.6-Generation Investment
As the domestic display industry faces a crisis due to China's rapid pursuit and a slowdown in global demand, both LG Display and Samsung Display have expressed confidence that their performance will improve in the second half of the year. Samsung Display has begun preparations for the introduction of new facilities, including sample production and yield stabilization, ahead of mass production of OLED panels for Apple's foldable phones.
Lee Chung, President of Samsung Display, expressed a positive outlook for the second half of the year in an interview with the press ahead of the '16th Display Day Ceremony' held at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on September 26, 2025. He stated, "The second half is not a bad season for the display industry," adding, "Since our major clients will be launching many classic products, I believe our performance will not be bad."
Samsung Display and Chinese companies are expanding their investments in 8.6-generation production lines in preparation for the growth of the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) market for IT devices. Samsung Display is currently investing 4.1 trillion won in Asan, Chungnam, to build an 8.6-generation OLED production line for IT use, with full-scale mass production scheduled to begin in 2026.
Lee Chung, president of Samsung Display, is giving an interview to the press ahead of the '16th Display Day Ceremony' held at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 26th. Photo by Joint Press Corps.
Regarding the 8.6-generation OLED production line for IT devices currently under construction, President Lee said, "We expect to begin mass production around the end of the second quarter or the third quarter of next year," and added, "So far, everything is progressing smoothly."
He also revealed that the company has started preparations to supply OLED panels for foldable phones to its clients. President Lee said, "I cannot disclose specific details about our clients," but added, "We are well prepared for the possibility of additional clients." It is known that Samsung Display will be the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for Apple's foldable phone, which is set to be released next year.
Regarding the recent victory in the OLED trade secret infringement lawsuit against Chinese display company BOE, he commented, "There is a general atmosphere in the industry favoring fair competition," adding, "I believe not only our company but also our competitors will want to participate in fair competition."
He also urged the government to provide consistent tax benefits. President Lee stated, "I hope tax benefits will be maintained consistently." He further emphasized, "As talent moves from the semiconductor industry to ours, there are many issues with information leakage. I hope the government will provide more support to prevent information from leaking out."
Jung Cheoldong, President of LG Display, is giving an interview to the press ahead of the '16th Display Day Ceremony' held at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 26th. Photo by Joint Press Corps.
Jung Cheoldong, President of LG Display, also met with the press on the same day and expressed confidence in improved performance for the second half, stating, "The future of Korean displays is OLED."
President Jung said, "There was significant improvement in the first half, but I believe there will be even greater improvement in the second half," adding, "We are doing our best to meet market expectations."
Regarding the possibility of investing in 8.6-generation OLED for IT devices, he responded, "We are examining the business necessity, the competitive landscape with other companies, and financial factors from various perspectives."
When asked about the impact of Samsung Electronics' recently launched 'Micro RGB TV' on the panel market, he stated, "Ultimately, that is still LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, so it cannot match the picture quality of OLED, which is a self-emissive technology," emphasizing, "OLED is OLED."
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