RNS Number:0023Q
Toshiba Corporation
22 September 2003

                                                  September 22, 2003

                                                  Toshiba Corporation


                       Toshiba and Samsung Electronics to
                    Integrate Optical Disk Device Businesses


We hereby inform you that Toshiba Corporation and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
today signed a memorandum of terms covering integration of their respective
optical-disk-drive businesses in a joint venture. The two companies will now
finalize details of the agreement in readiness for incorporation of the joint
venture.


The new joint venture will bring together product and business planning, product
development, procurement and sales for optical-disk drives (ODD), including
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives. The new company will be 51% owned by Toshiba and 49%
owned by Samsung Electronics and consolidated by Toshiba. The JV will be
headquartered in Japan, while its wholly owned subsidiary established in Korea
will control operations there.


The scale of the combined operation will position the joint venture among the
world leaders in the ODD business. With 2002 annual sales exceeding 200-billion
yen, the collaboration is expected to further enhance its global position.


The optical-disk-drive business faces fast changing customer requirements for
faster, slimmer drives, and a rapid transition in the main product to recordable
DVD drives. Price erosion and alliances are also making themselves felt and
further intensifying competition. In this environment, advantages in technology,
product development and price competitiveness are all crucial for survival.


The new joint venture will construct a competitive business structure that can
promote optimized use of management resources and leadership in the global
market.


About Toshiba Corporation

Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems,
electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. The company's
integration of these wide-ranging capabilities assures its position as a leader
in semiconductors, optical-disk drives, HDDs, PCs, mobile consumer products, and
other electronic devices. Toshiba has 166,000 employees worldwide and annual
sales of over US$47 billion. Visit Toshiba's web site at: http://
www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm


About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor,
telecommunications, and digital convergence technology. Samsung Electronics
employs approximately 75,000 people in 89 offices in 47 countries and business
performance for 2002 account for 49.6billionUS$ in sales and 5.9billionUS$ in
net income. Samsung Electronics is the world's leading company of advanced
semiconductors, TFT-LCDs, CDMA mobile phones, monitors and VCRs. Samsung
Electronics consists of four main business units: Device Solution Network,
Digital Media Network, Telecommunication Network and Digital Appliance Network
Businesses. More information can be found at http://www.samsung.com


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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