Mercedes-Benz Chairman Ola Källenius held a series of meetings on Nov. 13 with top executives from major South Korean companies, including Samsung and LG, to discuss expanding collaboration in automotive electronics.
At about 1:30 p.m., Källenius visited the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido, Seoul, where he met with top executives from LG Group. The meeting included LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan, LG Display CEO Chung Cheol-dong, LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung, and LG Innotek CEO Moon Hyuk-soo, who oversee affiliates involved in automotive parts. “Mercedes-Benz has maintained a strong partnership with LG for many years,” Källenius said. “Please look forward to the excellent technologies our two companies will develop together.”
Later in the day, Källenius met with Hyosung Group Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang before attending a dinner with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Harman, Samsung Electronics’ audio and automotive subsidiary, supplies Mercedes-Benz with the MBUX in-car infotainment platform. Samsung is also collaborating with Mercedes-Benz on digital key technology, which allows drivers to unlock and start vehicles without a physical key. The meetings have raised expectations for expanded cooperation between Samsung and Mercedes-Benz in display and battery technologies. Källenius last visited South Korea in August 2023.
박현익기자 beepark@donga.com