Korean companies and developers are now able to directly develop or invest in overseas mines for indium and lithium, two rare metals that are used to produce display panels and batteries for electric cars, the government said yesterday.

LG Electronics India has broadened its monitor portfolio with the launch of 3D cinema monitor, world's slimmest LED monitors and IPS monitor.

In January 2009, LG Display signed a MOU with Cree for it to supply LED chips, key components in value-added liquid crystal display (LCD) products. But an LG spokesman Monday described the MOU as "meaningless" now.

Liquid-crystal-display maker LG Display said Monday it swung to a first-quarter net loss due to weak television demand and panel prices, but in a sign of improving market conditions, a company executive predicted a return to profit on an operating basis in the current second quarter.

Samsung Electronics and LG Display, the world's top two flat-panel makers by shipments, received approval from the Chinese government to set up LCD manufacturing plants in the mainland, two people familiar with the matter said Friday, highlighting the next big wave for LCD makers, which had previously preferred to keep their technology at home.

The new e-book reader has a 15.24 cm display panel and a 10 cm square solar panel; impressively, the solar cell measures just 0.7mm in thickness, thus obtaining the relatively light weight of 20 grams.

South Korea's LG Display said on Thursday it would invest 618 billion won (US$513.5 million) in an LCD plant to boost capacity for small-sized flat screens.

A reported visit by Tim Cook, Apple's chief operating officer, to LG Display last month has prompted speculation that the world's second-largest maker of liquid crystal displays may supply the display panels for the new 4G iPhone.

LCD panel maker LG Display will spend US$1.3 billion to raise output and help meet robust customer demand and is betting on booming premium LCD TV sales to drive strong growth this year.

Kwon Young-soo, chief executive of LG Display, recently discussed the outlook for the LCD flat-panel industry this year, where the company sees the industry heading in terms of technology and his vision for the company.