At the conference, held once every four years, ministers and vice ministers of member nations gather to talk about ICT policy. Just one conference has been held in Asia up to now, with Korea now scheduled to be the second. BusinessKorea met Lee Sang-hak, Deputy Secretary General of the ITU PP-14 Preparatory Secretariat to discuss the event.

Please explain what it means for Korea to host the ITU PP in October 2014.

Lee Sang-hak, Deputy Secretary General of the ITU PP-14 Preparatory Secretariat.

The conference has had a great influence upon the convergence and standardization of ICT, the creation of new jobs and industries, and the sector’s sustainable growth, etc. As the chair country, Korea will play a leading role in the conference, while standing at the vanguard of the global policy efforts in the industry.

The meeting will be a nice opportunity for us to share our creative economic development models and their outcomes with the entire world. Making the most of this, we will let the world know about the excellence of our creative economy model.

What is the main agenda of the conference and how are you going to respond to the high demand for the Korea Initiative?

The agenda includes matters associated with the management of the ITU and policy and technical issues related to the development of ICT.

Examples of the former are the enactment and revision of the ITU Charter, selection of council members, decision on the general rules of the organization and its conferences. The latter covers policy and technologies involved with Internet governance, cyber security, the protection of children and women on the Web, higher access of disabled persons to ICT, and so forth.

Next year, conference participants are expected to make a new proposal regarding post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and review the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in order to seek better policy and fresh visions for the future of ICT.

Korea, on its part, has already proposed agenda items related to ICT convergence, Internet of Things and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications in April this year during the first preparatory meeting in the Asia-Pacific region. Member countries are currently giving these items concrete shape by collecting opinions. Such issues as information infrastructure protection, mobile broadband, creative economy and the ITU’s greater support for developing nations are also expected to be discussed next year.

Give a brief explanation about the ripple effects anticipated by the ITU PP conference here in Korea, particularly in regards to economy and industries.

Korea’s hosting and leading the global policy meeting for the next 10 years implies that it has made a great stride from that of an ICT technology powerhouse to an ICT diplomacy powerhouse.

According to the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), the conference’s production and export inducement effects are estimated at 710 billion won thanks to the spending by the public and private-sector participants, attraction of tourists to Busan the host city - and the export increase resulted from an increased brand awareness of Korea as IT powerhouse.

In addition, the ICT Expo that takes place in tandem with the ITU PP will be an opportunity for Korean firms to find their way abroad with their innovative technologies and products. The final resolution led by Korea will do its part as well, so that Korea can become the prime mover in the future global ICT industry.

How many participants are slated to join the convention and what are its special programs?

More than 3,000 people, including 150 ministers and heads of sector members, are predicted to participate. Furthermore, at least 300,000 people are expected to join the ICT Expo, the Global ICT Conference, and many other special programs.

The ICT Expo will be a venue at which ICT policy decision makers from around the world can experience the advanced technology of Korea and thus create a boon to the efforts of Korean companies to make inroads in overseas markets. Furthermore, worldfamous entrepreneurs and scholars will exchange views about the direction of development of the ICT industry.

In addition, various events for the promotion of Hallyu are being prepared, through which Korea’s cultural content and ICT are combined so as to boost cultural and economic value and the country’s national brand awareness.

What has your task force focused on during the course of preparations and what is your future roadmap?

The task force was launched on October 30, 2012. Following this, the ITU PP 2014 Preparatory Committee was organized by the government and staffed with ministers, vice ministers and high-ranking officials.

The first Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Preparatory Meeting was held as part of preparations between April 2 and April 3, 2013. Participants adjusted their opinions while adopting the ACP, or APT Common Proposal.

In May this year, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning appointed its spokesperson Min Won-ki as the chair nominee of ITU PP 2014, and introduced the ITU board of directors to him in June. He is scheduled to be named chairman during the opening ceremony.

In the meantime, the ICT High-ranking Policy Forum is held in November this year in order to listen to opinion leaders in each region and touch up agenda items. The second APT Preparatory Meeting takes place in Australia in October and will focus on joint contribution and further cooperation for the conference.

In Korea, an advisory panel is to be set up to increase the expertise of those in the government preparing the meeting. The government will continue to strive to attract the voluntary participation of the general public as the conference is important not just for participants but all who use ICT.