이재용, 일본 출장 복귀 후 '사장단 회의' 주재...3개 소재 확보했나

The vice chairman and de facto head of Samsung Electronics, Lee Jae-yong was in Japan last week and industry sources are dropping hints about what he might have achieved there in terms of relief from Tokyo's export restrictions.
Our Ko Roon-hee reports.
Citing multiple industry sources, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday that once back in Seoul, the Samsung Electronics vice chairman explained the achievements of his Japan trip to the firm's top executives.
And about those achievements, the news agency explained,... Samsung reportedly secured emergency supplies of three key materials affected by Japan's latest export restrictions to Korea.
The three materials are photoresists, fluorinated polyimides and hydrogen fluoride needed by Samsung to make semiconductors or displays.
With those emergency supplies, along with the existing stocks, Samsung reportedly has enough to avoid an immediate production shortfall.
Sources say the company likely found some alternative ways to get the supplies... by for example asking Japanese firms to ship high-tech materials not from Japan but from factories overseas to avoid trade restrictions.
Although Samsung has not confirmed whether Lee secured the materials or not, it did say he met Saturday with executives from the company's device solutions and display making units to discuss ways to deal with the trade restrictions.
Those measures took effect on July 4th,... and Vice Chairman Lee was in Japan soon after... from July 7th to 12th.
Although some sources say that Japan's export curbs have so far not significantly affected the Korean tech giant, analysts warn that serious damage is inevitable... if the measures stay in place for a long time.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.