Xiaomi 14T (Image courtesy of Xiaomi)
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Xiaomi, the Chinese technology giant, is strengthening its presence in South Korea, with industry observers predicting the company could attract consumers seeking alternatives to high-priced smartphones.
According to industry sources on January 6, Xiaomi has completed the establishment of its South Korean subsidiary. The company plans to unveil new smartphone models at a press conference on January 15 and launch offline stores in the first half of this year to begin full-scale operations.
The company will target Korean consumers with its latest models, including the Xiaomi 14T and the Redmi Note 14 series. While official pricing for the Korean market hasn’t been announced, based on prices in other markets, the premium 14T line is expected to retail between 500,000 and 600,000 won, while the Redmi Note 14 series will likely be priced between 200,000 and 300,000 won.
“Through our Korean subsidiary, we aim to communicate more closely with consumers,” a Xiaomi Korea representative said. “We will deliver differentiated value through locally tailored products and services.”
Even before establishing its local subsidiary, Xiaomi had been selling unlocked smartphones and tablets through its Naver brand store. While online-only sales limited consumer exposure, industry experts predict increased purchases with the expansion into offline retail locations.
“As smartphone technology has become increasingly standardized, Chinese products are no longer significantly behind in performance,” said an industry insider. “With prices significantly more competitive than Samsung and Apple, which dominate the Korean market, Xiaomi could find demand among consumers seeking second phones or devices for children.”
Last October Xiaomi launched the Redmi 14C smartphone and Redmi Pad SE in Korea, priced at 149,600 won and 149,800 won respectively for their base models, establishing a presence in the under-200,000 won segment.
Some analysts predict Xiaomi could increase market share through substantial subsidies, particularly following the abolition of the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, which had previously limited subsidy amounts.
However, other industry observers are more cautious about Xiaomi’s potential impact. They point to previous unsuccessful attempts by Chinese manufacturers like Huawei to enter the Korean market, citing consumer concerns about security and stability.
Additionally, the relatively small price difference between Xiaomi’s offerings and Samsung’s mid-range products, such as the recently released Galaxy A16 LTE priced at 319,000 won, could limit Xiaomi’s competitive advantage.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
