Promotion of IT Technology

MIC Minister Rho on mission to sell Korean IT technology in Europe

Minister of Information and Communication Rho Jun-hyong held a meeting in Paris to explain Korea's IT policies in a bid to maintain a closer cooperation with France in IT area. Minister Rho stopped in Paris on a leg of Prime Minister Han Myung-sook's four European nation tour. About 200 French government officials and IT experts and executives of French IT companies attended the briefing session. Among the participants on the French side were the Deputy Minister in charge of Industry of the French government, the chairman of the Information Communication Strategy Committee and the Digital Committee, and chairman of the Korea-France Goodwill Association.
Prime Minister Han, in her speech at the meeting, said Korea and France celebrated the 120th anniversary of the diplomatic relations because the two countries are leaders in the knowledge and information age. She wished for continued cooperation in the ICT area between the private sector as well as between the two countries.
The two countries have turned the event into an opportunity to solidify their intentions to boost each other's understanding and raise the level of cooperation in the official as well as private sector. The two countries exchanged information on their ICT policies and conducted a test-run of satellite DMB at the meeting.
The participants on the French side showed a great interest in Korea's DMB, which is based on the European technology, DAB, which was tested in Britain and Germany and put in operation and used in relaying the opening ceremony of the World Cup. During the event, Serge Tchuruk, the CEO of Alcatel, a leading French ICT equipment maker in the world, called on Minister Rho to discuss his firm's interest in Korea. Alcatel hoped for strengthened cooperation with Korean firms in the area of WiBro and 3 G communication facilitating video communication. Minister Rho said the combination of Korea's know-how and experience and Alcatel's manufacturing technology will be a big help for the two countries'joint advancement into third countries.
The briefing session on IT in Korea and France and the test-run has not only created an opportunity for both countries to strengthen their cooperation in the IT sector, but also created a momentum for Korean IT technology to spread in France and other European countries. It has also established a bridgehead for Korean IT firms to make advances into European IT market.
Minister Rho held the Digital Korea Day event designed to promote Korea's DMB technology during his tour of Germany in Berlin June 6. He made a special speech entitled, "The Development of Korea's IT Industry and Its Growth Power,"at the Berlin event. The event was held in the German capital to take advantage of the Germany World Cup, set to start on June 9. About 300 and attended by some 300 Munich University students including Vice Chancellor Rudolph Schilling and employees of the Bayern State Government.
Minister Rho stressed in his speech that Korea and Germany have a lot of room for cooperation to achieve a win-win result because both countries are strong in the electronics industry, commercialization technology, and basic technology sectors, especially noting the efforts on the part of university students in both countries on the matter. The minister gave encouragement to students after watching the "IT Goodwill Spot,"where such online games as FIFA 2006 and Star Craft were held.
The event designed to expand a digital Korean wave boom sweeping Southeast Asia to Europe and the Central and South America to reap business profits is expected to help Korean IT technology and products make inroads into Germany and Europe by raising the awareness and understanding for the Korean IT industry by one level.
In the morning, the Korea Information and Communication University and the Korea Information Communication Export Promotion Center signed an MOU with the Munich University, and the Bayern State IT Investment Promotion Bureau, which will expand the exchange of high-tech, IT personnel and business transactions. nw

Prime Minister Han Myung-sook at the briefing of the DMB technology in Korea in Berlin, Germany June 6.

MIC Minister Rho Jun-hyong with German officials in Berlin, following the briefing on Korean DMB technology.