[Samsung looking to overtake fourth place Siemens in global handset sales.]

by Yang Sung-jin -- "Samsung Electronics, the country's largest mobile handset maker, is poised to beef up its marketing to elevate its mobile handsets in global rankings next year.

"Analysts and competitors are focusing on whether Samsung will be able to outpace its rival Siemens to snatch the fourth position in the global rankings for the year 2001. Samsung's global market share in 2000 was the sixth largest.

"Samsung's ambition to sprint forward in the fast-growing sector, in fact, reflects the reality that its profitable handset business is offsetting the losses it has suffered in the chip business.

"Samsung's handset sales accounted for about 80 percent of revenue and 90 percent of operating profit in the third quarter. Semiconductors, meanwhile, made up just 14 percent of revenue and brought in about 355 billion won in losses in the July-September period.

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