limofoundation.org

Broad engagement and support for LiMo by leading Korean telecommunications, manufacturers, research institute and Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy

LONDON, England, and SEOUL, Korea, November 19, – limofoundation.org announced today that a group of powerful Korean mobile companies has signed an MOU for establishing the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association in order to fully catalyze and empower innovation upon the LiMo Platform within the Korean mobile industry.  Initial members of the Association will include LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom as members of the Board of limofoundation.org together with Korea Telecom, LG Telecom, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) supported by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) within the Korean government.

The Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association will function as a mechanism for the entire Korean mobile industry to most effectively benefit from LiMo Platform technologies.  Association activities will include local events, workshops and education for Korean mobile software developers, and also coordinated commercial programs that will help facilitate import and export of LiMo-related products, ideas and services.

“The Korean mobile industry has long been a global leader in driving the adoption of emerging technologies and LiMo warmly welcomes the formation of the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association as a further powerful focus for the commercialization of the LiMo Platform,” said Morgan Gillis, Executive Director of limofoundation.org.  “Much as WIPI helped galvanize and coordinate the Korean mobile community in the past, LiMo Platform now stands to serve as the common base for a fresh wave of Korean innovation and global commercial opportunity.”

Samsung was among LiMo’s Founding Members and has been vital to the shaping and evolution of LiMo’s vision and output since the organization’s inception in January; LG Electronics and SK Telecom also actively serve on LiMo’s Board of Directors and have been instrumental in leading the other 50+ members of limofoundation.org, including Associate members and Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association signatories ETRI and Korea Telecom.

“Korea has a proud tradition of creating some of the world’s most significant mobile technologies and mobile companies.  As the LiMo Platform is truly independent in its governance, technology and business frameworks it makes for a natural foundation and springboard for the next generation of Korean mobile innovation,” said Lee, Sangjin, Deputy director general for Emerging Industries, MKE.  “The MKE is happy to support this important effort alongside the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association members ETRI, LG Electronics, LG Telecom, Korea Telecom, Samsung Electronics, and SK Telecom.”

Any LiMo member can take part in the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association’s activities, and scheduled events will also be held for other members of the Korean mobile industry.  Information on the Association’s activities will be made available through the LiMo website at /ko/.

limofoundation.org was launched in January by mobile industry leaders to provide the mobile industry with an open, consistent Mobile Linux-based handset OS, enabling the development of immersive, next-generation mobile consumer experiences. LiMo’s membership includes mobile industry leaders from around the world, including OEMs, technology developers, and 13 global network operators that collectively represent nearly a billion mobile subscribers.

 

About limofoundation.org

limofoundation.orgTM is a dedicated consortium of mobile industry leaders working together within an open and transparent governance model—with shared leadership and shared decision making—to deliver an open and globally consistent handset software platform based upon mobile Linux for use by the whole mobile industry. A full description of limofoundation.org, including its vision, goals, charter, guiding principles, bylaws and membership information, can be found at limofoundation. The official limofoundation.org blog is available online.

 

Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association is an independent association formed to promote the use of the LiMo Platform in Korea.  Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association is not owned or controlled by limofoundation.org.  "LiMo" and "limofoundation.org" are trademarks of limofoundation.org; used by permission.

 

 

 

Statements from Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association Members:

 

ETRI: “ETRI was founded to encourage and foster the successful development of innovative information and communications technologies,” said Myung-Joon Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of S/W & Contents Research Laboratory, at ETRI. “The Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association will play an essential role in the continued fulfillment of that vision, and ETRI is proud to be a part of this ground-breaking association.”

 

LG Electronics: "As a leader in the consumer electronics and mobile communications industries, as well as a board member of the limofoundation.org, LG Electronics  remains dedicated to  delivering disruptive technologies to the market," said Mr. Seong-jin Park, Vice President of LG Electronics’ Mobile Handset R&D Center. "Setting up this association is a strong endorsement of LiMo as a springboard for innovation, both inside and outside the Korean marketplace."

 

Korea Telecom: “With nearly three decades of success as one of the country’s most prominent telecommunications leaders, Korea Telecom is proud to be among the first participants of the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association,” said Kyeong-Soo Lee, Executive Vice President (Head of Convergence WIBRO BU), Korea Telecom. “We believe this new association will act as a primary catalyst in the ongoing evolution of mobile communications in Korea.”

 

Samsung Electronics: “Samsung has been an active leader in the limofoundation.org from the very beginning and since then remains committed to making it a new technology driver in the global mobile industry,” said Hankil Yoon, Vice President of Global GSM Product Planning at Samsung Electronics. “We believe that the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association can play an essential role to create synergy between the advanced Korean mobile industry and the limofoundation.org and provide customers with a better mobile experience."

 

SK Telecom: “As one of the largest global network operators, SK Telecom bears great responsibility to develop cutting-edge technologies for our customers, to invest in the development of frontier technologies” said Sungcheol Hong, Senior Vice President and Head of Next Internet Business Group, SK Telecom. “Through the Korean LiMo Ecosystem Association, we will be able to provide customers with the utmost customer experience in unparalleled access to emerging mobile innovations.”