Creative development of core IT technology needed As part of the rapid growth and development of Korea's Daedeok Valley - a Silicon Valley in Asia, the role of Daejeon's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) as a global leader in IT R&D can be summarized in three ways: First, it offers superb technologies that can be linked to industrialization, as outlined by Yim Chu-hwan, ETRI president, speaking recently to the Korea IT Times. He stressed that the greatest goal in promoting Daedeok R&D Valley is to strengthen the connections between R&D and the industrial sector. Notably, the president pointed out that venture start-ups in Daedeok right now number no more than 500 firms and insufficient groundwork is being prepared to nurture venture firms. In this regard, Yim gave the assurance that ETRI would proceed with more demand-oriented R&D by launching joint research with companies, as well as supporting expansion and strengthening the commercialization of alreadydeveloped technology. In late 2004, ETRI established the infrastructure for the Institute to systematically promote technology transfer as well as to commercialize by launching the IT Technology Transfer & Evaluation Center. With Daedeok Valley's designation as inspiration, the president said that ETRI would proactively take part in and support allowing Daedeok Valley to grow and develop as a global standard innovation cluster. Although the official launching ceremony of the R&D special zone has been postponed until September, this year due to the delay in appointing the new CEO, Yim explained that Daedeok Valley's growth potential is actually enormous, providing support is strengthened for technology commercialization via the R&D special zone designation and that the most is made of new market opportunities. Regarding the growth development outlook for Daedeok Valley, he asserted that the Valley's growth potential lies above all in its technology innovation capacity. Lining up in Daedeok Valley are laboratories with superb research manpower and technology development resources, global education institutions to nurture superior talent, and venture startups with excellent technological clout. This Valley possesses innovation infrastructure that can perform the role of growth engine for the entire nation, according to the ETRI president. Becoming an IT Global Leader in the 21st century Key research directions that ETRI is currently prioritizing include Fourthgeneration mobile communication technology, Wireless UWB (Ultra Wideband) Integration Solution Technology, EDoCR (Equalization Digital on Channel Repeater) broadcasting relay technology and so forth. First, Fourth-generation mobile communication technology is a technology that allows for multimedia service to be offered on the basis of the maximum 100Mbps on high-speed transportation and data transmission speed of up to 1Gpbs when moving at low speed or when immobile. As a new wireless transmission technology that enables transmission of multimedia data of large capacity by using ultra wideband, this UWB technology is also being marked as a core element technology that creates a variety of services. President Yim explained that EdoCR broadcasting relay technology is able to overcome difficulties of broadcasting channel allocation for new broadcasting services such as terrestrial-wave DMB. As to DMB, he called for full-scale ground-wave pilot broadcasting to be carried out without delay so as to ensure that there are no technical problems externally. As of December, 2004, ETRI had secured a total of 127 international standard patents such as MPEG, DMB, and WiBro. Besides, since 1998 the Institute has submitted contributions on a total of 858 patents to standards organizations such as ITU-T, IETF. With regard to ETRI research project's international standardization, the Institute has secured international standardization technologies in 39 cases, such as IPv6- associated IETF standard technology adoption for the first time at home and 46 standards experts are currently working on this. To strengthen the promotion of international standardization and standardization competitiveness, ETRI is enforcing or operating several systems, according to Yim. For instance, ETRI operates and supports the Special Interest Group (SIG) to promote autonomous standardization activities and to encourage standardization activity. In order for ETRI to spearhead global standardization for Korean enterprises, the president stressed the need for full-scale development of core technology, and activities aimed at implementing international standardization should be stepped up. At the same time, the development of core technology is essential, by securing intellectual property rights, and promoting international standardization through strategic tie-ups at home and abroad. During the three year period of 2004- 2006, ETRI aims amongst others to accomplish 30 cases of international standardization of core technology, worldclass core technology development, and technology fee income of 100 billion won. As to the qualifications needed for the new CEO to lead Daedeok Valley in the years to come, Yim identified the ideal candidate as a business-minded person with good leadership skills and a global vision who would be able to oversee all institutions within the Daedeok R&D special zone. In order for the IT industry . which functions as a driving engine for Korea's growth indexes such as exports, production and GDP . to develop continuously and to contribute to the nation's economic development, especially the role of Daedeok Valley, it would be necessary for ETRI to plays an important role, Yim added. Accordingly, the president has committed himself to contributing proactively to the innovation cluster of Daedeok Valley. Currently, ETRI has been expanding international joint research projects with the United States, the EU and other nations in Asia, adopting 'international capacity strengthening' as one of the important management strategies in the interests of the phased boosting of the domestic IT industry, as well as technology. Moreover, for the sake of improving ETRI's organization as well as innovation, ETRI announced its innovation vision in the second half of 2004. ETRI is striving to induce continuous innovation performances by selecting eight management innovation programs and three priority projects. The Institute's eight innovation programs consist of demand-oriented administration, introducing a new personnel system, along with a national/regional society, as well as a sound and friendly cooperation network. Its organization innovation also involves a proposal to launch system-centered organization, a new personnel system and all-around research execution system. In particular, ETRI is endeavoring to carry out its role as the Best IT R&D Global Leader in the 21st century to contribute to the national and individual citizens' prosperity through creative development of IT core technology.