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Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong (left), Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, SK Group Chairman and KCCI Chairman Chey Tae-won, and Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson talk during a Korea-U.S. business roundtable reception at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., on August 25. / Yonhap

Korean companies secured the world’s No. 1 spot in four product categories last year, according to market share data released September 1 by Japan’s Nikkei.

The 2024 global market rankings showed Korea leading in DRAM semiconductors, NAND flash memory, OLED panels, and ultra-thin TVs. Samsung Electronics retained the top position in all four, repeating its 2023 performance, while other Korean firms held the second spot in each category.

Samsung’s DRAM share stood at 41.1% compared to SK Hynix’s 33.8%. In NAND flash memory, Samsung led with 34.8% against SK Hynix’s 21.3%. For OLED panels, Samsung posted 41.7% while LG Display followed with 23.8%. In ultra-thin TVs, Samsung held 16.3% and LG Electronics 14.6%.

By number of categories with global leaders, Korea ranked fourth with four, behind the U.S. (27), China (18), and Japan (10).

Nikkei noted leadership changes in six areas, including cancer treatment and generative AI technologies. Chinese companies saw their market shares decline in 15 categories such as surveillance cameras and home appliances. For example, China’s share in surveillance cameras fell from 52.5% in 2023 to 49.9% in 2024. Cloud services (down from 12.2% to 11.3%) and home air conditioners (from 52.1% to 51.8%) also slipped.

“The U.S. government’s regulatory and tariff pressures, combined with weak domestic demand after the property bubble collapse, are weighing on Chinese firms’ competitiveness,” Nikkei commented.

Still, Chinese companies retained strong positions in electric vehicles and smartphones, maintaining high global market shares.