LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo urged its flagship electronics arm to secure the lead in the organic light-emitting diode television market by rolling out the TV sets earlier than scheduled.

During his visit with its affiliates’ chief executives to the group’s research and development conference in Daejeon on Wednesday, he requested an early release of the 55-inch OLED TV, which is currently set to be launched in the latter half of this year.

He also asked LG Display to speed up the development of plastic-based OLED panels and commercialize them at an earlier date.

“We also have to improve our competitiveness in designs, along with speed and functionality, for consumers to instinctively put their hands on our products,” Koo said while looking at LG’s handsets such as the new Optimus Vu and Optimus LTE.

Koo’s comments come as the conglomerate is focusing on the development of original technology in the fields of living and eco, energy, healthcare and electric and automobile subparts, as well as improved cooperation among its affiliates.

This year, three LG affiliates ― LG Chem, LG Display and LG Electronics ― won the grand prize during its research and development conference for its 3-D TV based on the passive film-patterned retarder technology.

The three affiliates, together with LG Innotek, further plan to strengthen research and development partnership in the display and mobile sectors.

“We must be equipped with fresh views and open minds and go forward with active cooperation with those outside our organizations,” he said. “We should not be afraid of adopting advanced technologies from outside in order to gain competitiveness at a faster pace,” said Koo.

Currently, LG is taking on about 20 core projects with other ventures and overseas firms as well as those in academia and holding open innovation fairs to look for outside technologies which it could adopt.

The conference was also attended by LG vice chairman Kang Yu-sig, LG Electronics vice chairman Koo Bon-joon, Kim Bahn-suk, vice chairman of LG Chem, Lee Sang-chul of LG Uplus, Cha Suk of LG Household and Health Care and LG Chem’s energy solution company president Kwon Young-soo.

By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldcorp.com)