LG Electronics opens 1st overseas TV R&D center in Indonesia

LG Electronics has established its first overseas research center for its Home Entertainment (HE) division in Indonesia.

LG Electronics' new R&D center in Cibitung, Indonesia [LG ELECTRONICS]

LG Electronics has established its first overseas research center for its Home Entertainment (HE) division in Indonesia.

The research center, which occupies 40,000 square meters (9.8 acres) of floor space, is located in the Indonesian city of Cibitung, just 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) away from the company's TV manufacturing plant in the same city.

The HE division is responsible for TV, video and audio products. The establishment of the center comes as the Korean electronics company tries to capture the growing need for TVs in the Southeast Asian region. The center will focus on developing localized models and securing cost competitiveness.

“A complete business structure which connects R&D [research and development], production, sales and service has been established,” the company said in a statement Thursday.

LG Electronics has a sales unit in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, which is some 40 kilometers away from the recently launched research center.

“With development and production site unified, it will not only help LG Electronics raise efficiency in developing new models but also help expand its TV business and make inroads into the local market,” it said.

The new R&D center will employ around 500 researchers by 2025.

Lee So-yeoun, head of LG Electronics' R&D in Indonesia has been appointed to lead the center.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]