By Sharif Sakr posted Jul 30th 2012 at 6:45AM | Engadget
HTC shuts Seoul office, leaves Korea to the Koreans
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=htc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/htc.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Having already pulled out of Brazil and shut down a research building in North Carolina,
HTC has now closed its office in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The move is part of the
Taiwanese manufacturer's efforts to "streamline operations" and focus on selling One-branded
handsets in markets where it stands a better chance of success -- rather like Nokia's geographic
retreat following its commitment to Windows Phone, but here on a much smaller scale. It's not
yet clear how many jobs will be lost, but HTC says it regrets the "direct impact on people who
have contributed to the growth HTC has experienced in the past several years." As it stands,
analysts reckon that Korean manufacturers like Samsung, LG and Pantech rule a 90 percent
share of their home market, leaving HTC with just one or two points that evidently weren't worth
clinging onto.
HTC shuts Seoul office, leaves Korea to the Koreans
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=htc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/htc.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Having already pulled out of Brazil and shut down a research building in North Carolina,
HTC has now closed its office in the South Korean capital of Seoul. The move is part of the
Taiwanese manufacturer's efforts to "streamline operations" and focus on selling One-branded
handsets in markets where it stands a better chance of success -- rather like Nokia's geographic
retreat following its commitment to Windows Phone, but here on a much smaller scale. It's not
yet clear how many jobs will be lost, but HTC says it regrets the "direct impact on people who
have contributed to the growth HTC has experienced in the past several years." As it stands,
analysts reckon that Korean manufacturers like Samsung, LG and Pantech rule a 90 percent
share of their home market, leaving HTC with just one or two points that evidently weren't worth
clinging onto.
