On the Scene Report / iPark London iPark London helping Korean firms develop new ICT solutions across Europe. As the gateway for Korean ICT solutions to the European market, iPark London firmly believes that considerable opportunities exist across all of Europe for Korean vendors seeking to build or increase revenue streams by building new markets or cooperating with leading European ICT companies. These opportunities exist across national/ regional governments, corporate and consumer mass-markets. They all require the rapid and effective delivery of new (or improved) ICT solutions to deliver service cost and operational efficiencies. All heads of government and business leaders back up this conviction. For example in November 2004 the European Commission issued a communication identifying the challenges to ICT users that needs to be addressed beyond 2005. The communication reinforced the belief that ICT: * is a key component in European economic performance and competitiveness, both as a sector in its own right and as a fundamental driver of productivity; * would have a positive impact on the quality of life by helping deliver better and more convenient services; and * can facilitate European integration by allowing more effective cross-border provision and procurement of services. However the European Commission recognised that, aside from a few leading edge ICT innovators, performance to date in realising the benefits of ICT is still far from satisfactory. The situation varies across European governments, corporate, and consumer mass markets. This picture is further complicated by considerable language, cultural, investment, and structural economic imbalances; especially between Western and Central & Eastern Europe. iPark London helps Korean vendors to understand how opportunities vary across all countries and how to manage marketing/ business development activities so as to positively influence corporate and government European decision makers who are considering the impact of new ICT technologies such as Mobile TV Broadcasting, WiBro, Software, and Digital content. iPark London's role As well as supporting Korean partners in Europe, iPark London is making the case for more coherent ICT policies across the EU and highlighting areas where further action is required e.g. highlighting the impact of existent spectrum policies on Mobile TV and Radio Frequency identification (RFID). We also support the efforts of leading European ICT vendors seeking to develop R&D and manufacturing expertise in Korean centers of excellence. Supporting Korean ITC Exports. In the past year iPark London has consistently worked to support Korean small-to-medium vendors who have "world-class" technologies that are able to: * Help create new European markets e.g. broadcast mobile TV based on the Korean DMB standard, mobile broadband Internet access based on the WiBro standard, Korean enterprise software vendors; and * Realise operational efficiencies and or new services in existent ICT markets e.g. outlining 3G mobile telecoms services based on proven Korean advanced mobile networking technologies and supporting Korean games/ digital content for licensing to mobile or broadband markets in Europe. iPark London has invested a lot of effort in both of these areas where the expertise of our Korean partners directly translates into significant export earnings. One good example is iPark London's efforts in supporting Korean vendors in the mobile TV market. iPark London spent a lot of time speaking to European mobile network operators (MNOs), broadcast network operators, regulators and investors to understand the issues driving the mobile TV market. This initial work resulted in iPark developing good working relationships with all the European key players to understand all key issues (standards, spectrum availability, and content), which has formed a springboard for iPark to evangelise Korean DMB mobile TV vendors to the European mobile market space. At the 3GSM Congress in Barcelona during February 2006 iPark London ran a hospitality suite with a live trial of DMB mobile TV with the support of onTimetek. In addition to interest from the leading European MNOs, iPark London has been able to form closer working relationships with the World DAB Forum (a global organisation pushing the DMB standard throughout the world) and leading Korean DMB handset vendors to run a further Mobile TV trial in Germany during May in advance of the World Cup. Collaborating with European ICT Government Agencies. Based on our experience, one important determinant of iPark's ability to support Korean ICT exports is the ability to positively influence key national and regional European government agencies. These regulatory authorities and government agencies are responsible for the setting of national and/ or European law that defines the objectives of new markets and how all service providers, content developer's e.t.c. will be regulated to safeguard the customer. Supporting national and regional government agencies takes the form of iPark supporting policy formulation to ensure that European policymakers and regulators are aware of the how Korean government policy has resulted in world-class fixed and wireless services delivering benefits to the economy. In addition iPark London invests considerable time in arranging meetings and fact-finding missions between the Ministry of Information & Communication and the Korean IT Industry Promotion Agency (KIPA) with their counterparts. The objectives of these meetings are to forge a close working relationship and to accelerate business co-operation between Korean ITC companies and suitable European companies. Performance to date iPark London works to help the creation of new European ICT markets or the more efficient deployment of ITC services (telecoms and software) based on world-class Korean ICT technologies. These objectives are achieved through running a series of events across all ICT sectors. * Working with European Partners: In 2005 iPark worked with France Telecom to arrange testing products for VoIP and Digital TV markets. * Investment in Korea Initiatives: In September 2005 we worked with ten potential investors (including Goldman Sachs) to showcase leading Korean ICT companies. * Government-to-Government Cooperation: In September 2005 iPark key ICT opportunities in Korea to European government ministries and leading Blue chip companies at i2010, an EU ITC conference. * Major Events: iPark also assisted in the organisation of iMobicon in 2005 to promote Korean 3G, mobile TV, and gaming partners to the European mobile industry. * Marketing consultancy: iPark London also assisted several Korean software vendors to assess European market entry strategies. Status of ICT Industrial Co-operation with European Companies. iPark London is working with major European companies who are seriously considering partnering with Korean vendors or are considering setting up R&D facilities in Korea. This interest stems from recognition that Korea possesses "world-class" ITC skills in R&D, manufacturing, and bringing new services to market. This interest is real as evidenced by Alcatel's announcement in February 2006 that they have agreed to collaborate on interoperability between Alcatel's WiMax infrastructure and on Samsung's WiBro/ WiMax terminals. Throughout 2006 iPark London aims to repeat such collaboration by bring together European companies seeking to take advantage of Korea's leadership role in broadband Internet access, mobile broadcasting, and advanced mobile service. Particular areas that we will be pushing for European collaboration are semiconductor components for mobile handsets/ PDA's, software, and digital contents. Planned activities in 2006 iPark London in 2006 is committed to delivering Korean export revenues by the development of partnerships and PR/ marketing campaigns in the following areas: * Terrestrial Mobile TV (DMB): late 2005 we published a report on mobile TV in European, detailing key milestones in the deployment of such systems in Europe and an analysis of all Korean vendors supplying solutions. This study has formed the basis for several key events throughout 2006. In February iPark attended the 3GSM Forum in Barcelona featuring a live demonstration of the DMB mobile TV standard. In May, we will be collaborating with the DMB mobile TV licence holders in Germany, T-Mobile (the German mobile TV broadcaster), the World DAB Forum, plus Korean equipment suppliers. We will be co-sponsors to an event that will highlight the advantages of DMB, the services and the applications that can be supported. The objective of this event is to consolidate DMB position as a viable mobile TV standard and to secure export revenues. * Mergers & Acquisition Activity: we are currently working with major Korean software vendors and telecoms service providers to understand in detail opportunities throughout Europe. Our aim is to help them understand the right market entry strategy i.e. should they build a sales/ marketing organisation in Europe or acquire existing European businesses. We can guarantee contacts with venture capitalists and other commercial advisors to minimise risk to Korean companies seeking to build revenue streams in Europe. * Digital Contents: we are currently working with Korean software vendors to match them with suitable European game publishers to secure export earnings. In addition we are working with European game and digital content associations to exchange market information; the objective of which is to close partnerships and MoU's to promote both European and Korean gaming strategy. * WiBro: we are currently working with Korean vendors to identify and prioritise opportunities with European fixed and MNOs to provide broadband Internet solutions. Following on the success of the WiBro trial between Telecom Italia (Tim) and Samsung, we will be pursuing opportunities in "Fixed Mobile Convergence" with established European fixed operators and mobile operators. Europe -- into the Future. The Europe ICT sector faces many challenges to build a servicerich ICT infrastructure to deliver tangible results. iPark London will continue to actively support Korean ICT companies seeking to build markets across all of Europe by ensuring that European regulators and government institutions are aware of Korean technologies and best practices.