Korea's three major battery manufacturers began 2026 with renewed confidence in their ability to regain growth momentum, despite lingering skepticism about their earnings prospects amid sluggish global demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Acknowledging a difficult business environment, the leaders of LG Energy Solution (LGES), Samsung SDI and SK On urged employees to overcome current challenges by diversifying portfolios, cutting costs, improving technology and adopting artificial intelligence (AI). LGES and SK On both stressed the need to expand the production of batteries for energy storage systems (ESS), along with broader cost-saving efforts and the use of AI in daily operations. “Demand for ESS is growing more sharply than ever before, and this is the crucial opportunity for the success of portfolio rebalancing,” LGES CEO Kim Dong-myung said in his New Year’s address Monday. “We will speed up converting our facilities in North America, Europe and China to produce ESS batteries, stabilizing their supply and streamlining operations.” To reduce costs, Kim pointed to innovation