Ministry of Science and ICT Seeks Measures to Strengthen Competitiveness of Mobile App Ecosystem

Deputy Minister Jo Kyung-sik Chairs Meeting
App Market, Game, and OTT Operators Attend

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] On the 6th, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a meeting to review the overall status of the domestic mobile app ecosystem and explore ways to strengthen its competitiveness.

The meeting, chaired by Second Vice Minister Cho Kyung-sik in the afternoon, took place at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry with domestic app market operators and content developers in attendance.

Participants included two app market operators, One Store and Galaxy Store, and eight mobile content developers: NCSoft, Nexon, Netmarble, Wavve, TVING, Watcha, Genie Music, and Flo. Additionally, three organizations?the Korea Internet & Security Agency, Korea Mobile Industry Association, and Korea Game Industry Association?also participated.

The attendees shared the current status of the domestic mobile app ecosystem and global trends, and discussed ways to enhance the competitiveness of domestic app markets. They also exchanged opinions on difficulties and solutions in content sectors such as games, online video services (OTT), and music.

Second Vice Minister Cho Kyung-sik emphasized, "As the government advances the Digital New Deal to digitally transform our economy and society, securing competitiveness in the mobile app ecosystem is extremely important."

He urged app market operators to develop improvement plans that can expand content listings and actively consult with app developers. Various regulatory issues pointed out by game developers will also be reviewed for resolution through ICT regulatory sandboxes. To the OTT industry, he conveyed the government's commitment to jointly work on key strategic tasks such as expanding content investment and supporting overseas market entry, as the government is currently implementing the 'Digital Media Ecosystem Development Plan.'

Vice Minister Cho added, "The Ministry of Science and ICT will identify obstacles hindering the competitiveness of the app ecosystem and work with related ministries and agencies to resolve these issues," and "We will strive to ensure that this meeting is not a one-time event but leads to tangible results."