Seung-Hwan Lee, chairman of the ICT2005 National Organizing Committee

In addition to the rapid development of information technology (IT), in the energy industry field, fusion is already occurring between industries and convergence proceeds apace. Already in advanced countries, barriers between energy sectors and fields of expertise are crumbling as petroleum providers advance into the gas industry and electrical power generators participate in gas and other energy projects. Thus, under such circumstances, it is emerging as paramount to construct a cross-sectoral network in the energy industry. In the interests of optimizing management efficiency, the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is gaining ground in areas such as production, logistics, security and the environment. The 7th Global Congress on Information and Communication Technology in Energy (ICT2005) to be held in Busan, Korea from May 23rd through to the 25th 2005 will provide, in that respect, opportunities found nowhere else to discuss, exchange, and share ideas on Information and Communication Technology applications in the energy industry with professionals from around the world. 'Value Creation with ICT in Energy Companies' In a special interview with The Korea IT Times, Amb. (rtd.) Seung-Hwan Lee, chairman of the ICT2005 National Organizing Committee, emphasizes, "Information and Communication Technology is now facing dramatic changes. Technological innovation and convergence are breaking down all the barriers between industries, and the global market is invoking new business models". For companies in the energy business, the demand for ICT is rising, as is that for natural gas around the world. The chairman explains ICT is becoming an ever-more important tool and a key means of solution to current and future challenges. The seventh of the series to be held under the theme of 'Value Creation with ICT in Energy Companies', the ICT2005 Global Congress is expected to provide a unique forum for discussing recent ICT-related issues in the energy business such as: * What strategy and technologies could be utilized on behalf of energy companies to improve efficiency in their corporate operations, ultimately strengthening their competitiveness Mr. Lee says many domestic companies hesitated initially to take part in the ICT Congress because they were not convinced of its value. However, he is personally confident of the success of the Congress as it is now extremely well subscribed to by energy-associated companies from home and abroad. He explained the present state of IT utilization in the energy industry as follows: * First in the gas business, various forms of IT grafting is being attempted in regard to gas production, gas supply, electronic gas transaction systems, e-billing, geographic information systems, and sales of natural gas over the Internet. * Second in the petroleum area, the scope of the application of IT is growing in projects being undertaken by the Northeast Asia gas and petroleum industry. * The electricity generation business is also utilizing IT technology in fields such as real-time electricity use pattern analysis, real-time based data acquisition and process control. The agenda of the ICT2005 will address three hot business issues: * Reducing costs and improving performance * Managing risks, and * Competing in a deregulated environment. CEO Forum to attract top energy & IT business leaders According to Mr. Lee, the Congress program will feature 14 papers and one poster sessions, and the session topics include: Risk management * In the post-Enron era, are you ready to cope with the new business framework * ICT, a breach in corporate security * Minimizing supply disruptions and risks of failure * Conducting trading operations with responsiveness Competing in a deregulated environment * A new paradigm for deregulated utilities: The client is king. * Implication of Mergers and Acquisitions on corporate ICT strategy * Data exchange regulation as a consequence of market deregulation * The strategic dilemma: Gaining ICT agility versus shaping the market. Reducing costs and improving performance * Balancing operating costs and customer satisfaction * Operational productivity improvements thorough ICT * CRM after the hype; feedback for a successful second wave * ICT sourcing. * Successful ICT management models. Mr. Lee states that participants in the CEO Forum will have a chance to hear CEOs of leading energy and IT businesses discuss their vision of value creation with ICT. Entitled 'How ICT can be source of value for energy companies', the CEO Forum will be held on the afternoon of the first day of the Congress, May 23rd with the participation of CEOs such as Jean-Marie Dauger (Gaz de France), Kang-hyun Oh (Kogas), Henk Dijkgraaf (Gasunie) and Younghoon David Kim (Korea City Gas Association). The chairman said further that this year's ICT 2005 would serve as a good opportunity for domestic business to scout and get familiar with advanced overseas technology. In particular, he emphasized it would be useful to watch as to how advanced technologies from the U.S. and Europe could be applied to domestic industry. He continued by saying that the trade show had special interest for energy providers and IT specialist companies, and encouraged more enterprises at home and abroad to participate in the event. Comprehensive agenda with world-class initiatives The International Gas Union (IGU) was established in 1931 to promote both the technical and economic progress of the gas industry worldwide. Today it is the largest international body for the industry and conducts a variety of investigative and research activities through its many Working Committees, Program Committees, and Task Forces. The Chairman mentions that among these activities, in the light of inevitably growing need for greater interface between the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the energy industry, the IGU has created a Task Force to develop a program for a special ICT congress on the energy industry. For this 7th congress, an ICT Task Force chaired by Ms. Veronique Durand-Charlot of Gaz de France, was formed in 2003. It has 12 professional members that represent the regions of Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America plus the World Energy Council. Mr. Lee listed the following top 10 reasons as to why ICT industry stakeholders should attend ICT2005: It will be a CEO forum with the participation of top leaders in the energy and ICT industries * Keynote speeches giving a global view of ICT issues and stakes * Experienced speakers sharing their extensive knowledge * Business and industry gurus with a visionary view of ICT in the energy sector * Sample state-of-the-art ICT and next-technology trends * Comprehensive agenda featuring best practices, presentations and world-class initiatives * Roundtables and panel sessions to generate ideas and cultivate leadership * Poster presentations and exhibition * Rich social agenda and networking events giving you the opportunity to extend your knowledge of, and influence with key industry players * Extend and reinforce your knowledge of Korea, Asia's most dynamic country More information is available through Tel (82-2) 563-8107 or the ICT2005 Web site: www.ict2005.com