More than 1,000 jobs in the electronics industry in Northern Ireland could be under threat following the decision of their Korean parent company, Daewoo, to quit the business.

Management and trade unions at their Ulster-based subsidiary are to launch a campaign to try to secure jobs.

Daewoo was one of the Asian inward investment successes of the late 1980's for Northern Ireland. The company, with profitable Co Antrim plants at Antrim and Carrickfergus, is the largest manufacturer of video recorders in Europe.

Fears for the jobs followed an announcement earlier this week in Korea by Daewoo management that it was getting out of the electronics business by swapping its operation for Samsung's car division.

Fears that Samsung may sell on the local plant or relocate in eastern Europe has prompted local director Mr Daniel McLarnon to announce a campaign to "highlight a genuine threat".