Crystal manufacturer Yoosung Global has announced it has developed a mobile-phone charger with a sterilization function, the first of its kind in the world, as well as lamp and air-purifying capabilities. According to the company, the germ-killing products are equipped with an airtight container and a special lid on top of the normal charger's body to sterilize the digital gadgets during recharging. "With the advent of these chargers, mobile phone users can ward off sanitary concerns for handsets, which are exposed to a lot of germs," Yoosung Global president Kwon Hyuk-dae said. "We expect the chargers become a big hit locally and globally." Kwon said the germicidal products will hit the market next March and they will focus on overseas markets, especially countrys that were hit by severe acute respiratory syndrome such as China, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. Yoosung believes people from the regions are ready to open up their purses to prevent the recurrence of the deadly epidemic.