The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said Tuesday that it held its first international meeting in preparation for the plenipotentiary conference of the International Telecommunication Union in Busan in 2014.

The meeting, attended by 100 representatives from 38 member countries in the Asia-Pacific region, was the initial step to gain global ICT leadership, according to ministry officials.

It was also recorded to be the first global gathering organized since the launching of the new ministry.

“The focus of the new government’s ‘creative economy’ concept, which is the national development strategy, is in ICT,” said Vice Minister Yoon Jong-lok. “We will be able to jointly establish sustainable growth in the global arena through ICT.”

At the meeting held in southern Seoul, the country’s representatives suggested measures to speed up ICT convergence with other industries and the expansion of the so-called “Internet of things.”

The ITU plenipotentiary conference is expected to bring together about 3,000 people, including those from the government, international organizations and businesses in 193 nations.

The conference is launched every four years by the ITU, which is an organization that specializes in deciding standards for radio and telecommunications.

The Korea Communications Commission won approval to host the event at the previous conference in Mexico in October 2010, and Busan was chosen as the final city to host the event.

The ICT ministry has now taken charge of running the event as a large portion of the KCC’s functions was relocated to the newly created ministry.

By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldcorp.com)