LG Electronics to Skip MWC Due to Novel Coronavirus "Considering Employee and Customer Safety"

First Domestic Company to Decide Against Exhibition Participation
Plans to Unveil V60 and G9 ThinQ Also Postponed
"Cost Burden Exists but Decision Made Considering Safety"
Carrier Meetings and New Product Launches to Proceed Separately

MWC2019 Exhibition Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] LG Electronics has decided to cancel its participation in the MWC2020 exhibition, scheduled to be held in Barcelona, Spain, from the 24th to the 27th. This measure was taken considering the safety of customers and employees amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

On the 5th, LG Electronics announced that it would cancel its plans for the MWC2020 exhibition and hold a new product launch event later after monitoring the spread of the novel coronavirus.

LG Electronics had planned to unveil its flagship smartphones, the LG V60 ThinQ and LG G9 ThinQ, for the first time at MWC, but decided to cancel abruptly due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus. It was a difficult decision for LG Electronics, which has traditionally attended the MWC event every year to unveil new products without holding a separate unpacking event.

By deciding to cancel both the exhibition and event participation, LG Electronics now faces the burden of cancellation costs. Taking into account the cost burden, the company judged that the safety of customers and employees is more important.

An LG Electronics official explained, "For global exhibitions, negotiations regarding venue usage fees are finalized at the end of the previous year's exhibition, and costs are not reduced when canceling already contracted accommodations or flights for employees. However, this decision was made considering the safety of employees and customers."

Although the plans to unveil products through MWC have been postponed, LG Electronics intends to proceed with new product launches without disruption. LG Electronics stated, "Meetings with global mobile carriers originally planned will be conducted through other means," and added, "We will monitor the spread of the novel coronavirus and assess safety before holding new product launch events."

LG Electronics is the first domestic company to decide to cancel participation. Other domestic and international mobile carriers and manufacturers are considering participating in the exhibition but canceling events. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the organizer of MWC, maintains its position to proceed with MWC as scheduled.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.