Samsung Elec. CEO to visit telecom heads in N.America

Samsung Electronics President Lee Jae-yong will speak to the heads of major telecom operators in North America over Korea`s Chuseok holidays (Sunday through Monday) on collaboration.

Lee will hold talks with Telmex Chairman Carlos Slim, a Mexican who is the world`s richest man. The former left for the U.S. Wednesday and will be joined in a few days by Shin Jong-kyun, head of Samsung Electronics` smartphone division.

The Samsung CEO will stay in the U.S. for about 10 days for meetings with the heads of major U.S. telecom operators, including Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. He will reportedly negotiate collaboration in the smartphone sector, including the early release of Samsung`s Galaxy Note 2 in the U.S.

Samsung apparently seeks to launch an all-out war with Apple`s recently released iPhone 5. Last month, the Korean tech giant beat its American rival by topping the U.S. market prior to the iPhone 5`s release.

Lee and Slim will hold in-depth discussions on Samsung`s potential business expansion in Mexico. Telmex controls around 70 percent of the Mexican telecom market.

Slim is known for his huge contribution to the Mexican economy, having advanced into finance, air travel, construction and transportation. With a personal wealth estimated at 69 billion U.S. dollars, he beat out Microsoft founder Bill Gates to become the world`s wealthiest person for third consecutive year.

The Mexican tycoon visited Korea in April for talks with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, Lee Jae-yong`s father.

When Chairman Lee and Hong Kong business mogul Li Ka-shing spoke to each other Sept. 11 on a wide range of collaboration, the junior Lee led the meeting behind the scenes. Li`s Hutchison Whampoa is widely engaged in the telecom sector in Hong Kong and the U.K.

Electronics industry sources say Lee Jae-yong`s aggressive moves are aimed to check Apple by strengthening networks with global telecom operators and forming alliances, including those on equipment supply. Apple is known to pressure telecom operators to grant excessive contract conditions compared to other smartphone makers.

Lee Jae-yong will also tour Samsung`s offices and plants in Mexico. In the U.S., he is likely to hold talks with Ford on new businesses, including vehicle batteries.

nex@donga.com