CEOs of LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK Innovation, which are the three companies that represent South Korea’s battery industry, are set to gather together at a periodical board meeting held by the Korea Battery Industry Association (KBIA). This will be the first time that they will be meeting together since LG Energy Solution was separated from LG Chem. It will be interesting to see what kind of discussions they will have at the meeting regarding direction of the battery industry and whether they will decide to work together and come to a new resolution.
The KBIA announced on February 7 that it will hold a periodical board meeting on Monday at JW Marriott Hotel in Gangnam.
The board of directors will share the association’s business plans for this year with members and look to promote collaborations throughout the battery industry.
What will be special about this particular meeting is that CEOs from the three major battery manufacturers will be in attendance. Including President Jeon Young-hyeon of Samsung SDI, who is the chairman of the association, President Kim Jong-hyeon of LG Energy Solutioni and CEO Ji Dong-seop of SK Innovation’s Battery Division will meet each other for the first time at a public meeting. The meeting between the presidents of LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation that are currently involved in a trade secret infringement lawsuit in the United States is also drawing attention.
The two companies are currently waiting a final ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that will come out on Wednesday. Although Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun of South Korea recently urged an agreement between the two, the companies have yet to close the gap between their positions.
The meeting was set to be held before Korean New Year. However, it is reported that the date has been adjusted considering the current COVID-19 situation in South Korea and a ruling from the ITC.
The industry is interested on whether the meeting will be a place where members of the association will discuss about potential directions of the battery industry.
Staff Reporter Kim, Jiwoong | jw0316@etnews.com