High-Speed Internet Subscribers Exceeding 10 Million People

The high-speed Internet subscribers have exceeded 10 million people after four years since the service was started.

Exceeding 10 million subscribers means that 69% of the Korean nation has used the high speed Internet service on a basis of nationwide 14,500,000 households.

On November 6, the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) celebrated the exceeding of 10 million high speed internet in a commemorative ceremony participated by the president Kim Dae-Jung, the minister of MIC, Lee Sang-Cheol and the high speed Internet industry officials in the government building, Seoul.

First introduced by a commercial service of Thrunet in June, 1998 in Korea, the high-speed Internet service has been activated as Hanaro Telecom has started the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) system in April 1999.

Then, KT has participated in a competition of ADSL service from June 1999. The number of subscribers was 370000 people at the end of 1999. However, the subscribers jumped to 4020000 people and 7800000 people in 2000 and 2001 respectively in numbers. Then, the subscribers exceeded 10 million people in October 2002.

In terms of areas, Seoul, Gyeonggi and Busan have 2480000 subscribers, 1960000 subscribers and 750000 subscribers respectively. In terms of businesses, KT, Hanaro Telecom and Thrunet have 4580000 subscribers, 2860000 subscribers and 1310000 subscribers respectively in order.

The MIC plans to invest 13,300 billion won until 2005 to develop the high speed internet infra to the world best level and will promote in order for 13,500,000 subscribers to use the high speed network which the current 10000000 subscribers have used at a speed f 3Mbps, use at the speed of 20Mbps.

Jong sik Kong kong@donga.com