World IT Show kicks off today

By Kim Yoo-chul

The seventh World IT Show starts its four-day run at the COEX exhibition hall in southern Seoul, today.

The annual event will show off the latest mobile and online devices from over 500 firms under the theme of “Get IT Smart.”

IT stands for information technology.

To be held on the sidelines of the show is a gathering of communication ministers from 21 countries to explore areas of future cooperation, while noted scholars will debate new trends and strategies in the “smart society.”

“Preparing Korea for the upcoming smart society and mobile revolution is a priority,” Korea Communications Commission Chairman Choi See-joong said in a contributing article to The Korea Times.

Attending the show are Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Telecom and KT, as well as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Qualcomm.

The World IT Show is the Korean version of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Smartphones, three dimensional TVs and smart TVs are the top items, while telecom companies display their latest handset technologies, the organizers added.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are planning to use the exhibition as a springboard to increase awareness of their 3D televisions to general consumers.

SK Telecom, Korea’s top carrier, has just unveiled handsets that use the next-generation telecom technology, long-term evolution (LTE).

SK spokeswoman Kim Ji-won said it is planning to release LTE-based smartphones and tablets sometime during the second half of this year.

Under the theme of “Openness and Collaboration,” SK exhibiting smartphone and tablets. Its hopping service, the result of SK’s new mobile strategy of N-Screen, will give a chance for visitors to experience advanced telecom services, SK Telecom officials said.

“For corporate clients, SK Telecom has been displaying business solutions including next-generation ICT services,” said Kim.

SK’s biggest local rival KT will push its mobile payment technologies such as near field communication technology. It has also released systems related to smart working offices.

“KT intends to offer chances for visitors to experience what we call ‘smart life’ in the future via KT’s advanced technology,” said KT spokeswoman Kim Yoon-jeong.