Johnny Wu, President of Xiaomi Korea, speaks at a press conference held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 15. /Courtesy of Sim Min-kwan

“South Korea has significant importance for Xiaomi as it is a market that quickly adopts innovative technologies and products. Moving forward, we will focus on providing the best experience for South Korean consumers through personalized services, and on building meaningful connections with South Korean users.”

Johnny Wu, CEO of Xiaomi Korea, held the first press briefing after the establishment of the Korean corporation on the 15th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, Seoul, and shared the reasons for the corporation's establishment.

◇ Opening offline stores to strengthen personalized services

Wu said that the company plans to open its first offline store in South Korea to strengthen personalized services and expand touchpoints with customers. He noted, “We are carefully considering the location for the first offline store where Xiaomi users can experience products directly,” adding, “The store will provide everything from product experience to purchase and after-service (AS) in one place.” He explained, “This is aimed at enhancing personalized services based on user needs and feedback,” and said, “We plan to gradually expand offline stores to various regions.”

Wu highlighted the importance of feedback from South Korean consumers, indicating plans to prioritize South Korea as the first country for the launch of Xiaomi products in the global market. He mentioned, “Feedback from South Korea has very significant implications for product improvements and developments,” and added, “While the global launch schedule will vary based on various factors, we will strive to introduce Xiaomi’s latest products to South Korean consumers first.”

Wu promised to enhance Xiaomi's AS in South Korea. He stated, “With the establishment of Xiaomi Korea, we will operate a dedicated customer service center, making it possible to address customer issues regarding AS,” and added, “If products are purchased through Xiaomi’s official sales channels (such as Naver, Coupang, etc.), a three-year warranty service will also be provided free of charge.”

◇ Focusing on expanding the AI ecosystem rather than product sales

Wu emphasized that the focus will be on expanding Xiaomi’s AI ecosystem developed through devices such as smartphones, wearables, and TVs, rather than on selling specific products like smartphones. He stated, “Xiaomi Korea does not plan to concentrate on selling specific products like smartphones,” and explained, “To make daily life more convenient, Xiaomi’s AI ecosystem is organically consolidated among devices, and we are focused on expanding this ecosystem.”

Xiaomi is building the next-generation smart ecosystem under the strategy 'Human x Car x Home.' Xiaomi currently has a global AIoT platform with over 860 million smart devices consolidated worldwide.

Wu mentioned, “Xiaomi operates fan communities in over 100 markets around the world based on the core value of 'becoming friends with users,'” and added, “There are over 510,000 Xiaomi fans in South Korea.”

Xiaomi Korea launches the AI smartphone 'Xiaomi 14T' priced around 500,000 won. /Courtesy of Xiaomi Korea

◇ AI smartphone to launch in South Korea at around 500,000 won

Xiaomi Korea introduced products to be launched in the Korean market, including the AI-enabled smartphones Xiaomi 14T and Xiaomi 14 Pro 5G, Xiaomi TVs that can be consolidated with AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) devices, wearables such as Watch 5 and Buds 6 Lite, a robot vacuum cleaner, and a power bank.

Among these, the most noteworthy products are the AI smartphones, Xiaomi 14T and Xiaomi 14 Pro 5G. Equipped with AI features, they support real-time interpretation and translation, including during phone calls. They come with Google's AI assistant “Gemini” and the “Search to Search” feature as standard, and can create short videos using AI. What stands out is the cost-effectiveness (performance-to-price ratio). Although Xiaomi 14T’s selling price in Europe is 645 euros (approximately 970,000 won), the official price in South Korea has been drastically reduced to 598,000 won. Wu promised, “We will grow step by step to expand consumer choice through optimal service, reasonable pricing, and a diverse product lineup, and to become a trusted brand.”

◇ Focusing on selling electric vehicles only in China for the next three years

Wu expressed the company’s position regarding the inclusion of 'automobile sales' in the purpose of establishing Xiaomi's Korean corporation. Wu explained, “Xiaomi currently owns three types of electric vehicles, and from a business strategy perspective, we plan to focus 100% on the Chinese market for the next three years,” officially stating that there are no plans to sell electric vehicles in South Korea during this period.

He added, “Half of Xiaomi's sales occur in the global market, and we operate in over 100 countries and have more than 30 branches,” saying, “We have global influence and a fandom that spans the globe, so (the sale of electric vehicles) will naturally become full-scale when the time is right.”