Korean tech firms should focus efforts on Latin America

Korean information-technology companies should be looking at opportunities in Latin America, said Rick Yi, a communications officer and director of information support in the Clinton administration. Mr. Yi discussed strategies that Korean information-technology firms should use to enter overseas countries during a visit to Korea on Friday. “The U.S. will soon provide considerable economic aid to Latin American countries, which they will use to establish information-technology infrastructure,” said the 52-year-old Mr. Yi. An increasing number of Hispanics are climbing to senior corporate and policy making posts in the United States, Mr. Yi said. Because of their clout, the United States will increase its aid to Latin American countries. U.S. and European companies, believing that the United States plans to increase aid to Latin America, are making inroads into the region, Mr. Yi said. Korean companies are so technologically advanced that what is viewed as an advantage for North America can actually be an obstacle for entering developing overseas markets, Mr. Yi said. For example, when asked about their Internet-provider services, Korean companies matter-of-factly discuss their very high-data rate digital subscriber lines, or VDSL, which are very common in Korea. But VDSL is actually a year ahead of the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, or ADSL, which is currently used in the United States. “Most countries need equipment that was used in Korea three to four years ago,” Mr. Yi said. “Korean companies must not take for granted that introducing state-of-the-art technology is always the best policy.” He suggested that Korean companies concentrate on products that “correspond to the information-technology level of that specific country.” Mr. Yi also urged large corporations to play a more active role in helping small- to medium- sized firms. “In Korea, it seems that large corporations do not transfer know-how to small- and medium-sized overseas firms,” Mr. Yi said. “I wish large corporations would consider small- and medium-sized firms as growth partners and play the role of mentors,” he said. Mr. Yi immigrated to the United States in 1960s, served the U.S. Army and was appointed the post of presidential communications officer in 1996. Mr. Yi currently works at the Scientific and Technological Solutions Co., under NSR . by Kweon Hyuk-joo