Kim In-kyu, head of the Korea Digital Media Industry Association, has played a crucial role in opening the era of Internet protocol TV, or IPTV, on Korean soil.
Kim persuaded broadcasters to share their TV shows with IPTV operators, which allowed the operators to provide video-on-demand services to subscribers.
Currently, KT, SK Broadband and LG Dacom offer full IPTV services.
Kim's main interest now is how IPTV innovations will change everyday life. He is especially interested in education through IPTV.
A management research center operated by KT, the leading IPTV operator, has already released a report on the correlation between IPTV and education.
The report said education savings of about 1.6 trillion won ($1.3 billion) would result if IPTV subscribers reach 3 million.
In a recent interview, Kim gave more details about IPTV's positive effects.
Q. The central government seems to have high expectations for IPTV's role in cutting down private education costs.
A. Yes, it does. When the Korea Communications Commission reported its IPTV plan to the central government at the Blue House on Dec. 26, last year, the KCC stressed the importance of IPTV, especially its educational function.
The KCC plans to spend 15 billion won this year alone to upgrade high-speed Internet infrastructure at 3,000 schools nationwide, so the schools can use educational content through IPTV. Another 4 billion won will be allotted to developing educational content using the lectures of famous instructors at private institutes.
It's been said IPTV will be widely used by local governments as a platform to interact with citizens.
Local governments are interested in IPTV. Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province plans to urge 10,000 households to subscribe to IPTV and will launch a special channel for the city, which it will use to communicate to households.
Do you think IPTV will change the way the public uses leisure time?
Through VOD services, people can enjoy hard-to-find contents such as how to make furniture or how to arrange flowers.
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