FACTBOX: Leading tech rivals in South Korea, Japan

Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:08pm EST

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - In the longstanding rivalry between Japan and South Korea, near-neighbor North Asian technology industry heavyweights, the pendulum has swung Korea's way, helped by currency shifts, but also due to marketing and product savvy and nimbler production strategies.

Following is a summary of the leading South Korean and Japanese technology companies.

SOUTH KOREA:

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), established in 1969, is world leader in memory chips, including dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and NAND flash memory. It is also the largest TV brand by revenue and the biggest LCD TV maker. It is the global No.1 in LCD screens and, with its affiliates, makes plasma panels and mobile displays. In mobile phones, represented by its Anycall brand, Samsung ranks No.2 behind Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). It also makes personal computers and appliances.

LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) was set up in 1958 and is the world's No.3 mobile phone maker and market leader in household air conditioners. It is the second-biggest TV brand globally and has caught up with Japan's Sony in LCD TVs. LG owns 38 percent of LG Display Co Ltd (034220.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world's No.2 LCD panel maker behind Samsung. In appliances, it competes with bigger rivals Whirlpool Corp (WHR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Electrolux (ELUXb.ST: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

Hynix Semiconductor Inc (000660.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), set up as Hyundai Electronics in 1983, is the world's No.2 DRAM supplier and makes NAND flash memory and other non-memory semiconductors. It grew through a merger with LG Group's chip business in 1999, but was hit by a financial crisis and was bailed out by creditors, to be renamed Hynix. Its creditors-turned-shareholders are trying to sell a 28 percent stake, but the only interest has come from Hyosung Corp (004800.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a mid-tier fibres-to-plant machinery group.

JAPAN:

Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), founded in 1946, makes Bravia flat-TVs, PlayStation game consoles, Cyber-shot digital cameras and Handycam camcorders. It also has movie, music and financial operations, and runs a mobile joint venture with Sweden's Ericsson (ERICb.ST: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). Sony is world No.1 in camcorders and ranks second in LCD TVs and digital cameras, behind Samsung and Canon Inc (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), respectively. It launched its first Walkman three decades ago but has been overtaken by Apple Inc's (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) iPod in portable music players.

Panasonic Corp (6752.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), formerly Matsushita Electric Industrial, was founded 91 years ago, and offers Viera flat-TVs and Lumix digital cameras. It is the world's largest maker of plasma TVs and ranks 7th in LCD TVs. Its product portfolio also includes white goods and factory automation equipment. Panasonic this month launched a tender offer for shares in Sanyo Electric Co Ltd (6764.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world's largest rechargeable battery maker, as it seeks to become a powerhouse in hybrid car batteries.

Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is the world's second-largest maker of NAND-type flash memory chips and sixth-biggest in LCD TVs. Its electronics operations were hit last year when its HD DVD technology lost a high-definition DVD format battle against the Sony-led Blu-ray camp. The owner of U.S. nuclear firm Westinghouse is shifting its focus from volatile microchips to more stable revenues in its power systems business.

(Reporting by Rhee So-eui and Kiyoshi Takenaka, editing by Ian Geoghegan)

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