South Korea to Restrict OLED Equipment Exports as Chinese Manufacturing Ramps Up

AlphaAtlas

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Citing a report from BusinessKorea, LED Inside claims that the South Korean government plans to designate OLED manufacturing equipment as a "core technology" and restrict exports to other countries. In light of previous technology leaks, Korean display giants like Samsung and LG are apparently worried about Chinese manufacturers stealing their production secrets. Interestingly, the report also notes that "the Chinese government has shifted the subsidy focus from TFT-LCD to OLED. Many Chinese panel producers were reportedly expanding their OLED capacities." While larger OLED displays aren't cheap or common compared to LCDs yet, it looks like the industry is shifting to larger-scale production.

According to the report, the measure was proposed due to the technology leaks by Toptec, a Samsung supplier which produces automated equipment for smartphone display production. The company was accused of selling Samsung's latest OLED display technology to China's BOE. The inclusion of OLED equipment as South Korea's national core technology is believed to prevent such technology leak as currently only display panel design, process, manufacturing and drive are restricted.
 
If only there had been a vast treaty designed to force a huge collection of nations to respect IP law and to reject dealings with countries that violate that law.

If only.

Boy would that have been amazing.
 
If only there had been a vast treaty designed to force a huge collection of nations to respect IP law and to reject dealings with countries that violate that law.

If only.

Boy would that have been amazing.
There was an article yesterday about that in regards to the US, and this one with regards to Korea.

China is "allowing" IP theft, and this is the result. Other counties are pulling out of the Chinese market.
 
One of the things a lot of people don't understand, when they say "Cheap labor or cost of manufacture" in China is that this move to China is relatively recent. Most of these fab plants are less than 10 years old and due for overhaul in the next couple years. This means that companies will allocate future supply-chain and fab plant money towards other countries and/or domestic production. Within 2-3 years China could be a large parking lot compared to what it is now. This is why China is making a desperate bid to promise they will secure IP. The problem is, no one believes it and the country is plain hostile to foreigners who have to live there to manage fabrication on behalf of companies.
 
They will still steal it.
China needs to play fair. If they bring charges against your company (with Chinese law), you are screwed. Try to bring it against them, good luck.
 
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