South Korea - Key Statistics, Telecom Market Infrastructure & Regulatory Overview

Synopsis

South Korea has one of the most vibrant and interesting telecommunications markets in the world. The South Korean government has adopted a very progressive approach to deregulation, liberalisation and privatisation of the nation’s telecommunications industry. The result has been willingness on the part of operators to invest in infrastructure and to be innovative, providing the basis for a booming telecoms market. Of particular interest are the developments in the broadband market including market interest in VDSL, the shift away from DSL, the move to A-LAN and FttH services, Powercom’s entry into the market, the development of mobile DMB services, the launch of WiBro services, the upgrading of 3G networks using HSDPA, and the introduction of HSUPA. This report provides an overview of the South Korean telecoms market, including key statistics and market highlights.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Key statistics
  
• 3. Telecommunications market
  
  • 3.1 Overview of South Korea’s telecom market
    
  • 3.2 Competitive market
    
  • 3.3 Digital Korea statistics – convergence
    
  • 3.4 Fixed-line and mobile services
    
    • 3.4.1 Overview
      
    • 3.4.2 Fixed-line and mobile statistics
      
  • 3.5 Internet in South Korea
    
    • 3.5.1 Overview
      
    • 3.5.2 Internet statistics
      
  • 3.6 Television broadcasting in South Korea
    
    • 3.6.1 Overview
      
    • 3.6.2 National television networks
      
  • 3.7 Telecommunications service markets
    
    • 3.7.1 Service providers
      
    • 3.7.2 Licensing
      
• 4. Overview of infrastructure developments in South Korea
  
  • 4.1 Infrastructure investment overview
    
  • 4.2 Korean Information Infrastructure (KII) project
    
  • 4.3 IT839 Strategy
    
  • 4.4 Next Generation Network (NGN)
    
  • 4.5 Ubiquitous Korea (u-Korea)
    
  • 4.6 Master plans for an information society
    
    • 4.6.1 e-Korea Vision 2006
      
    • 4.6.2 Broadband Korea IT Vision 2007
      
• 5. National telecom network
  
  • 5.1 Major national infrastructure players
    
  • 5.2 National submarine cable infrastructure
    
• 6. International infrastructure
  
  • 6.1 International submarine cable infrastructure
    
  • 6.2 Satellite infrastructure
    
    • 6.2.1 KoreaSat (KT)
      
    • 6.2.2 Dacom
      
    • 6.2.3 SK Telecom / MBSat satellite for mobile Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB)
      
    • 6.2.4 Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
      
• 7. Regulatory environment
  
  • 7.1 Policy Overview
    
  • 7.2 Rural access
    
  • 7.3 Low income assistance
    
  • 7.4 Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC)
    
  • 7.5 National Internet Development Agency of Korea (NIDA)
    
  • 7.6 Korea Communications Commission (KCC)
    
  • 7.7 National Computerisation Agency (NCA)
    
  • 7.8 Korea Broadcasting Commission (KBC)
    
  • 7.9 Telecommunications and Broadcasting Committee
    
  • 7.10 Deregulation
    
  • 7.11 Ownership rules
    
• 8. Related reports
  

• Table 1 – Country statistics – 2009
• Table 2 – Telecom revenue and investment statistics – 2007
• Table 3 – Telephone network statistics – June 2008
• Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2008
• Table 5 – Broadband statistics – March 2009
• Table 6 – Mobile statistics – 2008
• Table 7 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 8 – Telecom service subscribers and market share by sector – June 2008
• Table 9 – Telecom service subscribers by sector – 2004 - 2008
• Table 10 – South Korea telecom industry revenue – 2004 - 2008
• Table 11 – KT Corp’s fixed-line subscribers and market share – 2004 - 2009
• Table 12 – Fixed and mobile lines in service and teledensity – 1991 - 2008
• Table 13 – Fixed-line subscribers and market share by operator – September 2008
• Table 14 – Number portability of fixed line services – 2003 - 2007
• Table 15 – Local telephony lines by operator – 2005 - 2008
• Table 16 – Local telephony market share by operator – 2005 - 2008
• Table 17 – Mobile subscribers and market share by operator – 2008
• Table 18 – Number portability of mobile services – 2004 - 2007
• Table 19 – Registered .kr domains – 1996 - 2009
• Table 20 – Internet users – 1994 - 2008
• Table 21 – Internet subscribers – 1996 - 2008
• Table 22 – PC penetration – 2000 - 2008
• Table 23 – Broadband Internet subscribers by operator – 2005 - 2008
• Table 24 – Broadband Internet market share by operator – 2005 - 2008

• Exhibit 1 – Bits and Bytes
• Exhibit 2 – Regional TV broadcasters in South Korea
• Exhibit 3 – Classification of service providers
• Exhibit 5 – Informatization Promotion: Execution body
• Exhibit 6 – National submarine fibre optic cables overview in South Korea
• Exhibit 7 – International submarine fibre optic cables overview in South Korea
• Exhibit 8 – Foreign ownership restrictions