Critical Choices for Convergence in Korea

Transcription

1 Critical Choices for Convergence in Korea James F. Larson, Ph.D. Deputy Director Fulbright Commission, Seoul Presentation for Seoul UBB Conference, October 9, 2008

2 Overview Ultra broadband: speed, network size and mobility Communication in South Korea s development A communication perspective on convergence Korea s s convergence choices today, and their implications for the future

3 UBB Speed Matters The term Ultra- broadband is used in many contexts Speed matters

4 Speed Matters Their second annual survey of internet speed in each of the fifty states was released last summer.

5 Moore s s Law Moore s s law states that the computing power of semiconductors will double about every two years

6 Metcalfe s s Law Metcalfe s s law states that the potential value of a network increases exponentially with the number of users of the network

7 McGuire s s Law McGuire s s law states that the value of a product or service increases with mobility.

8 Communication in South Korea s Development Schramm: communication is the basic social process South Korea harnessed the power of new communication technology for development. The stages of South Korea s telecommunications Revolution

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10 The Most Networked Country on Earth Over 95 percent of households have broadband access. Korea Telecom 44.7% Hanaro Telecom 22.4% LG Powercom 13.2% Cable TV Operators 19.7% Over 92% of all Koreans use a mobile phone. Digital Media Broadcasting is successful

11 A Communication Perspective on Convergence Biologist E.O. Wilson prefers the term consilience The convergence of IT with other industries yields many examples. For example, IT and Biotechnology

12 Classic Model of Human Communication WHO Says WHAT Through which CHANNEL To WHOM With what EFFECT?

13 WHO The WHO in the model represents the source of communication This may be thought of as encompassing the ownership of media channels, as well as the writers, editors, video producers and others who actually construct the messages that enter digital cyberspace.

14 WHAT The WHAT in this model represents content When I think of the convergence of content, the prevalent use of internet- based computer graphics on television, be it YTN or CNN, always comes to mind.

15 Through which CHANNEL Much of the interest in convergence centers around CHANNEL, or the convergence of networks Satellite, cable television, television & radio broadcasting, mobile telephone, and computer networks Different industries and different government regulatory regimes

16 To WHOM The WHOM in the communication process represents the audience As with messages and communication channels, audiences for information are highly segmented.

17 With what EFFECT? The EFFECT of communication can be economic, cultural, social, or political depending on one s s interest.

18 Korea s s Convergence Choices The imperative to move toward ultra- broadband and the much, much faster internet of the future can be summarized in one word.

19 Google s s Mission Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.

20 YouTube 1DuAI

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23 The Google Phone: Android

24 Google VS Naver in Korea Local press praise Naver as dominating the search market in Korea similar to the market in China, Russia and the Czech Republic Google and Naver are apples and oranges Naver searches only the Korean-language province of the internet and tells people what other Koreans are thinking Google s s success will be an indicator of Korea s globalization

25 Critical Choices: WHO The question of media ownership and structure. Chosun-Joongang Joongang-Donga vs. KBS, SBS, and newcomers like Ohmynews Citizen journalists vs. established newspaper and television journalism

26 Critical Choices: says What Infodemics rumors and false information. The Korea Communications Commission efforts to set up rules for content on web portals. Reconciling a free press and democracy with universal broadband access. The game industry as a growth engine.

27 Critical Choices: through which CHANNEL The channels are converging television, radio, newspaper, magazines, the internet How many of you read your news on the web? A recent example of convergence here in Seoul (following slide)

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29 But Not on an Apple iphone Apple s iphone was released in 22 nations simultaneously on July 11, and in 70 nations within this year, from Portugal to India and from Japan to Madagascar. But not in Korea.

30 Why not in Korea? Non-tariff barriers In 2003, the government imposed a unique software platform called WIPI on mobile phones sold in Korea. Apple would need to negotiate a deal with a local mobile telephone operation to sell the iphone.

31 The Critical Choice: CHANNEL Whether to completely open up the South Korean market for sale of mobile handsets and other devices, or to maintain non-tariff barriers. High speed broadband and the future of health tourism, education and all of Korea s s future growth engines. North Korea s s utter lack of communication infrastructure.

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33 Critical Choices: to WHOM The audiences for different media: television, internet social networking, text messaging Audiences are highly segmented as in the blogosphere. In North Korea, there is draconian control over audience access to media.

34 Critical Choices: with what EFFECT On Politics On culture as in the game industry On society internet addiction problems. On the Economy--

35 Conclusion: Korea s s Future as an Innovation-Driven Economy 22 projects divided into three phases Investment of U.S. $87.2 billion

36 Three Phases Phase One-- --Development of media convergence, cultural contents, product design, software, next-generation semiconductors, information technology and marine industries is to be completed within five years. Phase Two-- --Advanced mobile communications, fuel cells, light-emitting diodes, solar cells, radio frequency identification tags/ubiquitous sensor networks, nuclear reactors, displays and healthcare technology will be extensively developed within a decade.

37 Three Phases Phase Three-- --Efforts to develop greenhouse gas retrieval and use, new medicine, industrial materials, robotics, marine biofuel,, non-polluting coal and eco-friendly cars could take more than a decade.

38 Conclusion South Korea has accomplished its remarkable growth from poverty to a wealthy, developed nation, largely on the strength of the telecommunications revolution. The critical choices it faces now include reunification. The question of mindset. Wise decisions on these choices can sustain Korea s s remarkable communications-based revolution.