Korean LED firm lights up U.S. ballpark

At a U.S. major league baseball game Friday at Safeco Field, home to the Seattle Mariners, the CEO of a Korean wireless communications and LED firm threw the ceremonial opening pitch.

Kim Duk-yong, the CEO of KMW, landed the rare pitching opportunity as the Korean firm recently took charge of Safeco Field’s revamp ― replacing metal halide lights with LED lighting throughout the stadium. 

Safeco Field is now officially the first U.S. major league baseball stadium to make the switch to LED lighting.

In November 2014, KMW landed a business deal with the baseball team to install its LED products, beating major competitors including General Electric, Philips and Osram in the U.S. sports stadium lighting market. The contract was valued at over $1 billion (1.08 trillion won).

According to KMW, LED lights provide greater energy efficiency, as well as improved trans mission for television broadcasts to help convey the atmosphere at sports stadiums.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)