July 22 – Samsung Display announced the immediate resumption of its investment scheme for the Second Complex in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, pushing forward the expansion project valued at 67 trillion South Korean won (approximately RMB 310.21 billion).

Lee Chung, President of Samsung Display, stressed in an interview following the K-Display 2026 exhibition held at COEX Seoul that the investment fulfils prior commitments, hence preparations and execution must commence without delay.

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This investment forms part of Samsung Group’s broader 140-trillion-won investment blueprint for the Chungcheong region unveiled in early July this year. Samsung Display will inject 67 trillion won into Asan to upgrade existing production lines and build brand-new OLED manufacturing lines at Display City Campus 2. Situated adjacent to the existing Campus 1 site in Asan, the land development work for this zone was initially launched back in 2017 yet suspended in 2020 amid pervasive market uncertainties; construction is now set to resume.

Lee also warned that the display industry will face headwinds in the second half of the year. Surging semiconductor prices have lifted manufacturing costs for smartphones and IT devices, triggering a notable decline in panel demand while intensifying downward pricing pressure across the entire supply chain. Overall demand for OLED panels for smartphones and IT applications has contracted, squeezing profit margins for end-device clients and passing on heavier price-cut pressure to component suppliers including panel makers.

Confronted with continuous capacity expansion and rising capital expenditure from Chinese display manufacturers, Lee acknowledged that this poses a substantial challenge to South Korea’s display sector. He emphasized that South Korea must sustain technological supremacy in OLED while advancing next-generation display technologies to retain its competitive edge.

On the technological front, Lee voiced confidence in Samsung Display’s competitiveness in foldable OLED panels. Excluding Chinese brands and domestic Chinese panel manufacturers, Samsung Display still holds a dominant market share in the foldable display segment, maintaining leadership in picture quality, durability and comprehensive display performance.

The firm also confirmed that construction of its Gen 8.6 IT OLED production line is progressing smoothly and is on track for mass production. Through the latest round of investments, Samsung Display aims to bolster its supply capacity of advanced panels tailored for laptops, tablets, foldable smartphones and XR devices.