The MOU formed the centrepiece of a market study visit organised by Enterprise Ireland, focusing on mobile games and initiating a formal co-operation in the development and promotion of the respective game industries of both countries.
According to the 2004 game industry report of the KGDI, the Korean games market reached $3.4bn in 2003 and is expected to rise to $4.3bn in 2005. Some 34,000 people were employed in the sector. Production volumes across the game space were valued at $1.2bn with $200m of in exports. The Korean government and the KGDI have set ambitious targets for the achievement of $8.5bn in domestic market size by 2007 supporting 100,000 jobs, $5bn in production volume and exports of $1bn.
Enterprise Ireland will seek to establish ongoing contact between Irish companies and potential partners in Korea, highlighting the strengths that Irish companies can bring to the arrangement – in the development, design and conversion/packaging of games, together with research strengths in game design, enabling technologies and middleware.
Attending the event last Friday from Ireland were Conor Murphy, the Irish Ambassador to Korea, Michael Kenna, Development Adviser – Digital Media in Enterprise Ireland, Dianne Rhee – Director EI Korea, Mary Twomey – Business Analysist in Forfás, Brendan Rossiter – Director of the IDA’s office in Toyko and myself. Attending on behalf of KGDI were Jong Sik Woo, President and Mr Jay Woo, Director of International Cooperation, amongst others.