[The Chosun Ilbo, December 4 2007] Japanese Electronics Makers Slim Down to Move Ahead

With Korean electronics makers taking a breather, their Japanese rivals are rolling up their sleeves to transform themselves into specialists. Having lost their lead to Korea in the semiconductor, liquid crystal display and digital TV markets one by one over the past 10 years, Japanese electronics companies are doing everything they can to regain the lead in next-generation products.

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By contrast, Korean companies have been criticized for doing too little to escape stagnation and take a leap forward. Experts say that some domestic electronics makers like Samsung Electronics are performing well in most business areas, but they need to prepare to compete with Japanese rivals who are turning all their know-how and capabilities toward specialized areas.

"It's no exaggeration to say that Korea and Japan equally dominated the global electronics market for the last decade," said Min Hoo-sik, an executive at Tempis Capital Management. "Now that Japanese companies are working to compete for the next-generation market, Korean companies also have to stay alert."