Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the country’s television makers, took the top two positions as flat-panel TV vendors in the third quarter, according to an industry report Monday.

A report released by market research firm DisplaySearch said that Samsung came in No. 1, taking over 19 percent of the global flat screen TV market in terms of total units sold, while its rival LG followed closely behind in second place with 12 percent.

The report also said a total of 55.68 million units of flat-panel TVs, including liquid-crystal displays and plasma display panels, were sold worldwide between July-September, a 10-percent increase in unit figures compared to the same period last year. It was also up 14 percent compared to the previous quarter.

Japan’s Sony came in third with a 9-percent market share in the global flat-panel TV market in the third quarter.

“Because the Japanese TV set makers, such as Sony and Panasonic, are going through restructuring, the Korean companies will be likely to widen their share in the global market in terms of sales figures,” according to Noh Geun-chang, a senior analyst at HMC Securities.

Samsung and LG also outperformed its Japanese rivals ― Sharp, Sony and Toshiba ― in the light-emitting diode TV sector.

Noting a big growth in the LED TV market, premium flat panels that use LED backlighting, Samsung and LG were placed No. 1 and No. 2, showing market shares of 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, the report said. Sharp, Sony and Toshiba trailed with figures of 9 percent for Sharp and 8 percent for the other two players.

DisplaySearch also said that a total of 6.85 million units of 3-D TVs were sold in the third quarter, a 40-percent increase compared to the second quarter, grabbing 12 percent of the global TV market.

Samsung and LG were again the top two players in the 3-D TV sector accounting for 44 percent of the total market ― 30 percent for Samsung and 14 percent for LG ― followed by Sony, Skyworth and Hisense.

Although demand for 3-D TVs grew in the third quarter, they are unlikely to become the driver for growth for the TV market due to current inconveniences such as discomfort to the eyes after long viewing periods, said Young Park, an analyst at Woori Investment and Securities.

But he said the market will brighten next year compared to this, although it will not record a big leap.

“Growth for next year is estimated to be better than this year, but it will still show a single-digit figure,” he said, adding that a low single digit will be seen for 2011.

Noh of HMC Securities also agreed that the market will improve slightly next year, but suggested a higher growth rate of 14.6 percent in terms of total TV units sold in 2012, up from 7 percent in 2011.

“There are two factors that contribute to the jump. We have the London Olympic sports event and the time will come for those who purchased their flat-screen panel TVs in 2004 to go out in the market for an exchange,” he said.

“I expect the overall situation of the market to improve a bit next year.”

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