Korea, Silicon Valley linked

SAN JOSE ― California’s Silicon Valley is undergoing a “second revolution” and Koreans in key positions at American IT firms are positioned to get a piece of the pie. Korean companies also are establishing more business in the area. Early this year, global IT firm Qualcomm acquired Berkana Wireless for $56 million. The firm was founded jointly by Kim Beom-sup and Cormac Conray. The semiconductor company develops radio frequency and mixed-signal integrated circuits for cellular and other wireless applications. Mr. Kim, 46, a former professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, established the firm with Mr. Conray, a friend from Berkeley. At Berkeley, home of the research-rich University of California in Silicon Valley, Mr. Kim developed mobile telecom receiver chips that use less energy and offer more reception features than existing products. Mr. Kim is now a Qualcomm vice president.

Another Korean link to Silicon Valley is fabless semiconductor maker Pixelplus Co., listed on the Nasdaq late last year. Headquartered in Bundang, Gyeonggi province, it specializes in the design and sale of hardware devices on semiconductor chips, mostly camera sensor chips for mobile phones. Most company business is carried out by its U.S. subsidiary. “In Silicon Valley, you can succeed if you have the technology. You don’t need a factory,” said Lee Sang-soo, president of Pixelplus Semiconductor, the company’s U.S. subsidiary. Sohn Young-kwon recently co-founded Panorama Capital with JP Morgan. The investment firm is managed by life sciences and technology investors. “Businesses are interested in Korea’s displays and Internet-related businesses. I hope to become a bridge between Korea and Silicon Valley,” Mr. Sohn said. Before founding Panorama, Mr. Sohn was president of Agilent Technologies Semiconductor Group from 2003 to 2005. Before that he was chairman and CEO of Oak Technology, a Nasdaq-listed digital media semiconductor company. Joo Ki-hyun was in the spotlight when he sold Exio Communications to Cisco for $155 million in 2000. In 2003 Mr. Joo founded Nayio Media. Meanwhile, Korean Internet firms see great potential in the American market and are busy establishing business in Silicon Valley. According to market research, the penetration of high-speed Internet in United States households was 57 percent late last year, and predicted to reach 75 percent by 2009. Based on the increase of broadband penetration, Korean Internet firms such as NHN, which runs the portal site Naver, and SK Communications, which operates the community portal Cyworld, created American subsidiaries last year and opened California offices in May. NHN is recruiting now, hoping to begin its online game businesses in the United States soon. The company has invested $12 million in the U.S. subsidiary, which will start with 50 employees. It expects the U.S. online game market to double from $9 billion last year to $20 billion by 2010. by Hong Min-gi, Lee Wen-ho