LG Display will invest 1.26 trillion won ($925.4 million) over the next two years to develop advanced OLED technologies, as the world’s largest maker of big-screen panels seeks to narrow Samsung’s commanding lead in smaller displays.
The board approved the investment plan during a meeting on Tuesday, allocating funds through June 2027 to build infrastructure for next-generation OLED panels. The spending will target 700 billion won for new production lines at LG Display’s Paju facility north of Seoul, with the remaining 560 billion won earmarked for its Vietnam module plant.
The move comes as LG Display holds just 19% of the global small and mid-sized OLED market, trailing Samsung Display’s 40.9% share by a significant margin. The investment represents the company’s largest domestic capital commitment since 2021, when it pledged 3.3 trillion won for sixth-generation OLED production.
Market research firm Omdia forecasts the global OLED market will expand from approximately 76 trillion won in 2024 to around 100 trillion won by 2028, while LCD growth remains sluggish at 1% annually.
LG Display recently returned to quarterly profitability after posting operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2024, providing financial breathing room for the expansion. The company has been advancing fourth-generation OLED technology that achieves 4,000-nit brightness levels, positioning itself for premium applications in smartphones, tablets and automotive displays.
