Korea-Japan venture firms to co-develop GIS

To mark the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament, venture companies from Japan and Korea have agreed to jointly develop a geographic information service (GIS).

A wire and wireless domestic GIS developer known as Pointi.com (www.pointi.com ) revealed on Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with CyberMap Japan (www.mapion.co.jp), a leading Japanese GIS developer, to co-develop a GIS for the World Cup.

The two companies have agreed to share information and technology to jointly create integrated wire and wireless Internet software. They plan to provide maps of the World Cup host cities in Japan and Korea and information on transportation, stadiums, neighboring regions, tourist attractions, food and accommodation in seven languages.

Moreover, they are planning to lend wireless devices to visiting tourists at airports so that they can access the service without connecting to the Internet.