Ground-Wave UHD Broadcasting Committee Is Established under S. Korean government

‘Ground-Wave UHD Broadcasting Committee’ that is composed of industries, government departments, and research institutions is established with ground-wave TV UHD broadcasting set to start in February of next year.

This committee is the first official committee that has Ministry of Science, ICP and Future Planning (MSIP), Korea Communications Commission (KCC), industries, and universities participating. South Korean Government has taken its first step to make world’s first ground-wave TV UHD broadcasting succeed.

MSIP (Minister Choi Yang-hee) and KCC (Chairman Choi Seong-jun) held ‘Ground-Wave UHD Broadcasting Committee’ at TheK-Hotel, which is located in Yangjae-dong, on the 19th.

This committee is going to push for vitalization of UHD broadcasting by examining a process of introducing ground-wave UHD broadcastings and listening difficulties from related industries. It is going to continuously examine the whole process of introducing ground-wave UHD broadcasting smoothly until 2021 when broadcasting infrastructures are established throughout entire South Korea.

This committee is composed of 14 major personnel from South Korean Government, ground-wave broadcasting businesses, manufacturers, subcontract manufacturers, research institutions, universities, and consumer groups. 2nd Minister Choi Jae-yoo of MSIP and Standing Committee Lee Ki-joo of KCC are appointed as co-chairmen.

Under this committee are general managers from MSIP and KCC, ground-wave broadcasting businesses, manufacturers, and executives from research institutions that are managing actual committees and departments. They are going to discuss about actual plans on securing frequency, vitalizing UHD broadcasting and supporting viewers.

However paid-broadcasting businesses are excluded from this committee. While direction receiving rate of ground wave is not even 7%, percentage of South Korean citizens watching actual ground-wave UHD broadcasting without paid-broadcasting businesses is low. South Korean Government needs to work on including paid-broadcasting businesses to this committee.

Opinions about having viewers to watch UHD broadcasting without any level of inconvenience by supplying receiving antennas were proposed during this meeting. There were also many opinions about asking for help from household appliance manufacturers on releasing ATSC 3.0-based UHD TVs and convertors at the right time so that actual broadcasting can be viewed smoothly.

Some of these personnel also asked for active investments from ground-wave broadcasting businesses to manufacture high-quality contents that will continue on Korean-wave. During this meeting, South Korean Government and ground-wave broadcasting businesses announced their plans and current situations on UHD broadcasting.

“Although some are expressing their concerns about carrying out a smooth service with actual broadcasting set to be live in metropolitan areas in 7 months, actual broadcasting will take place without any difficulties if close cooperation between ground-wave broadcasting businesses, subcontract manufacturers, and household appliance manufacturers takes place based on South Korea’s excellent technical skills.” said Standing Committee Lee Ki-joo of KCC.

South Korean Government is planning to start actual ground-wave UHD broadcasting for the first time in the world starting with metropolitan areas in February of next year, which is a year before 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Staff Reporter Chun, Jiyeon | [email protected]