Wednesday, January 16, 2008

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Information agency faces shutdown

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Information agency faces shutdown: "Lee's incoming administration plans to disband the Government Information Agency and transfer jurisdiction of press affairs to other agencies

The Korea Times
Thursday, January 3, 2008
By Kang Hyun-kyung, Yoon Won-sup

The incoming administration plans to abolish the Government Information Agency (GIA), revive pressrooms at government offices and downsize the Prime Minister's Office.
The plan will be incorporated when the transition team finalizes the reorganization of government agencies, according to Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman of the transition team, Thursday.
He said scrapping the GIA and reviving pressrooms were campaign pledges of the President-elect.
Cheong Wa Dae, however, made it clear that the current media policy will remain intact until President Roh Moo-hyun steps down on Feb. 25, saying history will determine whether it was good or not in the long run."

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Media checks leak damages Lee team

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Media checks leak damages Lee team: "The press continues to criticize President-elect Lee, considers his reaction to compilation of media personnel backgrounds not contrite enough

The Korea Herald
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By Kim Ji-hyun

President-elect Lee Myung-bak's transition team is facing mounting public backlash over critical information leaks that are threatening to tarnish the incoming government's image.
The transition committee is scrambling to soothe the press over an impromptu reference check on executives at the nation's top 10 vernacular dailies.

The president-elect has expressed his regret and called for the committee member who compiled the information to be severely punished. But the criticism does not appear to be dying down, especially since this particular incident recalls past military and even post-military administrations that often categorized the press into pro and antigovernment."

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Transition team confirms compulsory telecom fee cut

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Transition team confirms compulsory telecom fee cut: "Basic mobile service fees expected to be cut or eliminated in return for government's continued refusal to allow new competitors in telecom market

The Korea Times
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By Cho Jin-seo

The transition team of President-elect Lee Myung-bak has confirmed that it will force the country's three mobile service operators to lower their basic subscription fees, instead guaranteeing exclusive positions in the market.

The plan will force the firms to cut or abolish the registration fee (30,000 to 55,000 won) and the monthly basic fee (around 15,000 won), while not allowing new players to enter the mobile service industry. The decision is in line with the 'I scratch your back, you scratch mine' relationship that has lasted between the Ministry of Information and Communication and the three telecom firms -- SK Telecom, KTF and LG Telecom -- over the past 10 years."

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Lee seeks to promote media convergence

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Lee seeks to promote media convergence: "Broadcasting and communication companies see convergence as new opportunity for profit growth and market expansion

The Korea Herald
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By Jin Hyun-jo

President-elect Lee Myung-bak may seek to empower one single government body to handle broadcasting and communications affairs, which are now managed by several agencies, Lee's aides and industry sources said yesterday.

The envisioned organization, which may be called Broadcasting-Communications Commission, would deal with policy development, promotion and oversight, they said.
Lee has stressed the need to facilitate broadcasting and communications convergence, which the relevant industries regard as new growth engines."

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Lee may abolish central press office

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Lee may abolish central press office: "President-elect Lee Myung-bak follows through on campaign stance against the Roh administration's press policy

The Korea Herald
Friday, January 4, 2008
By Kim Ji-hyun

The incoming government may abolish the central press regulation body and streamline the Prime Minister's Office as part of President-elect Lee Myung-bak's sweeping bureaucracy reforms, his aides suggested yesterday.

Lee is expected trim the key operations of the Prime Minister's Office to keep in line with his vision of concentrating state authority in Cheong Wa Dae, including the curtailment of the prime minister's top affiliate, the Government Information Agency -- the press regulation body at the center of a controversial media policy. Last month, the Roh Moo-hyun administration officially launched a regulation to merge and consolidate press working rooms at government agencies and keep journalists in check."

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Newspapers can own broadcasting firms

AsiaMedia :: KOREA: Newspapers can own broadcasting firms: "Transition team spokesperson says Lee Myung-bak's administration will draft new legislation to provide media companies more autonomy and growth opportunities

The Korea Times
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
By Kang Hyun-kyung

Print media firms are likely to be allowed to own broadcasting companies and vice versa, the presidential transition team said Tuesday.

Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman of the team, told reporters that the next government will seek alternative legislation replacing the current Newspaper Law to give press companies more autonomy.
The spokesman said the new legislation will also focus on strengthening the financial health of the media industry.

Lee said the incoming Lee Myung-bak administration will ease regulations prohibiting cross ownership between media businesses and get rid of stumbling blocks to the growth of their business."

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Digital Chosun Ilbo: Korea -- A Desert Island in the Globalized World?

Jan. 4, 2008

"Is Korea still an isolated country? Many have been calling for a "global Korea" over the last decade, stressing that globalization is the only way for survival. The number of foreigners living in the country exceeded the 1 million mark last year, but many of them say Korea lags far behind Singapore or Japan. There is plenty of inconvenience in their everyday life here, from basic communication and asking for directions to applying for credit cards and using the Internet. They also say Koreans still have little regard for the feeling of foreigners. [...]

Foreigners in Korea complain that it is very difficult to get ID numbers to use in the basic service sectors, including financing, the Internet, and communications. Most foreigners carry alien registration cards and numbers provided by the Korean government. But they are no use in everyday life, which makes it much more difficult to book train tickets, buy movie tickets in advance, or make online payments.

Korean websites use strict criteria for foreigners who wish to subscribe to their services -- and there are no set standards either. It is possible for foreigners registered with the Immigration Office of the Justice Ministry to apply for services on portal sites such as Naver and Empas with their ID numbers. But they are required to send copies of their alien registration cards by fax if they want to use services on CyWorld or CGV. And errors frequently occur even on Naver during the subscription process."

Testissä idän ihmeitä / Vimpaimet / Digitoday

Testissä idän ihmeitä / Vimpaimet / Digitoday:
"21.12.2007, 11:40

Japanilaisten ja korealaisten elektroniikkavalmistajien brändit ja tuotteet ovat iskostuneet suomalaistenkin mieliin. Seuraavaksi länsimaihin suuntaajaksi povataankin kiinalaisten valmistajien ihmetuotteita. Nyt Digitodayn testiin päätyi Comphonin monitaituripuhelin, jonka ominaisuudet eivät aivan äkkiä lopu kesken."