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Google mulling launch of YouTube in S. Korea during second half
By Koh Byung-joon
SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- Google Inc., the world's top Internet search company, is considering launching YouTube in South Korea during the second half of this year to capitalize on the fast-growing user created content (UCC) market here, a spokesperson said Friday.
YouTube is a leading global video-sharing website where users can upload, view, and share video clips. Eyeing the high potential of the UCC market for its search-linked advertisement business, Google bought YouTube last year for US$1.65 billion.
"Google is pushing to launch YouTube here within the second half," a spokesperson of Google Korea, a local unit of the U.S.-based company, said on condition of anonymity.
"In addition, negotiations are underway with a number of local companies to secure contents for its video-sharing business," she added, declining to elaborate on the names of possible partners.
Earlier, the daily JoongAng Ilbo reported Google will start the localized YouTube service in South Korea as early as August, citing comments in a recent interview with Google Korea President Lee Won-jin. But the company spokesperson, who was on hand during the interview, denied that anything was mentioned about such a specific timetable.
YouTube's launch plan here was unveiled just one day after Google announced it will provide the video-sharing service to nine more countries including Japan, France, and Germany. South Korea was excluded.
The spokesperson said South Korean web surfers will be able to easily access YouTube thanks to a user interface translated into Korean, while having a platform through which they can share their uploaded contents with other global users.
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