Schmidt in Seoul to meet Samsung executives, CEOs of telecom carriers



Attention is being paid to the visit by Google chairman Eric Schmidt to Seoul on Monday, which experts said is aimed at forging a stronger partnership with local electronics and telecommunication giants.

Government officials and tech industry analysts are speculating that the Google founder may bring “gifts” for the nation’s IT scene.

As if to reflect the special attention, Korea Communication Commission chief Choi See-joong expressed his hope that the chairman’s visit results in major agreements on cooperation in IT sector.

“If chairman Schmidt doesn’t carry any gift, I wouldn’t let him get off the plane,” KCC chairman Choi joked during his visit last week to the headquarters of Google Korea in southern Seoul. “Google has been leading the global IT industry. I hope the company will play such a role in Korea as well.”

According to industry sources, the Google chief is scheduled to meet CEOs of the nation’s three telecom carriers ― KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus ― and executives of tech companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

Choi of the state-run telecom regulator is also on the list of Korean figures whom Schmidt will meet during his two-day visit to Seoul.

It is not still known what he will speak about during the press conference on Tuesday. But it is expected among industry observers that Schmidt will share the recent trend of the global IT industry, future vision of Google services and possibly new partnerships with Korean companies.

The main topics to be discussed at the separate meetings with CEOs of telecom carriers are expected to include mobile payment services and other Android-based mobile services, according to sources.

“On Monday, vice chairman Lee Sang-chul will discuss the Google Wallet services based on the financial infrastructure of LG Uplus and the near field communication solutions,” said an official of LG Uplus, the telecom unit of LG Group, on Sunday.

“They will also seek ways to provide Korean Wave content via YouTube and HD video services for high-speed LTE devices.”

Schmidt is also likely to further strengthen partnerships with local partners such as Samsung and LG whose mobile devices are equipped with its Android mobile operating system.

Of the nation’s 20 million smartphone users, about 13 million are believed to use handsets based on the Android OS.

The sources said the Google leader may feel the need to further strengthen Android alliance including Samsung in its intensifying patent battle with Apple.

This is the second time that the owner of the world’s most popular search engine has visited Korea since 2007. And over the years the status of Google has been totally different.

The California-based company has launched the Android operating system, competing with the powerful Apple’s iOS.

Other than the search engine Google, the company has developed diverse Internet-based services such as Google Maps and Google Wallet and become the operator of YouTube.

In August, the company succeeded in acquiring Motorola Mobility, expanding business as handset maker.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)