Dongbu Daewoo Electronics has chosen China as its first overseas target market, with a focus on high-end consumers in key metropolitan areas such as Shanghai and Beijing, the company said Wednesday.

“Instead of competing against low-end Chinese products, our aim will be to focus on the premium value of Korean-made products to target mainly the upper-class consumers,” said Kwon Dae-hoon, a spokesperson for Dongbu Daewoo Electronics.

The company has been aggressively ramping up marketing after Dongbu acquired Daewoo Electronics earlier this year.

The product lineup in China will reflect this premium strategy, Kwon said, with mostly high-end appliances such as the three-door refrigerator and washing machines designed for “superior washing.” Dongbu’s unique wall-installed washer, the “Mini,” also is said to be popular in China, selling more than 1,600 within the first two weeks of its launch.

With such goals in mind, the electronics maker has won a slot in top department stores in Shanghai, along with setting up exclusive sales channels in up to 10 cities, such as Hangzhou and Ningbo, both near Shanghai.

In Beijing, Dongbu Daewoo has already started to supply B&Q China, which is China’s largest seller of household goods and appliances. In August, the Seoul-based company will start operations with Gome, the largest electronics retailer.

The Chinese household appliance market was estimated to reach 250 trillion won ($222.8 billion) last year, according to Dongbu, with growth reaching 10 percent annually.


By Kim Ji-hyun
(jemmie@heraldcorp.com)