FILE PHOTO: A man walks out of the headquarters of LG Display in Seoul, October 20, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - LG Display said on Tuesday that it would invest 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion) in its organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels production line in South Korea.

The Apple supplier earlier forecast a tough 2019 as it invests heavily in OLED panels at a time of weak demand for smartphones and tech gadgets in general.

The display screen maker said in a statement it would continue to expand its lead in the OLED TV market.

LG Display is shifting its mainstay liquid crystal display (LCD) business toward next-generation OLED panels, as the LCD panel industry is crowded with Chinese rivals.

The South Korean firm is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings later Tuesday.