– Both Parties Will Facilitate Joint Projects and Contents Exports Based on a Global Network-

The Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency (Head Director Kim Byong-heon) concluded an agreement with New Media BC of Canada on May 22, 2008. The agreement aims to facilitate joint projects between organizations that service overseas cultural contents; expand the exports of the cultural companies of Gyeonggi Province; and enable the overseas market entry of provincial firms.

Based in Vancouver, New Media BC is a non-profit agency in British Columbia, Canada. It represents over 1,100 companies related to digital media, including companies that work with mobile contents, digital film, animation, e-Learning, web design, and gaming firms, as well as digital media firms. As 31% of the world¡？s video gaming firms have studios in Vancouver, it is expected that the agreement will facilitate joint projects between Gyeonggi Province and British Columbia, and activate the exchange of contents from the province.

In July 2007, New Media BC hosted an investor presentation jointly with Gyeonggi Province, and in November 2007 the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency reached an agreement with New Media BC that promised steady efforts in the area of exchange. Following the establishment of a sisterhood relationship between Gyeonggi Province and British Columbia on May 19, 2008, the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency and New Media BC entered into an agreement on May 22, 2008.

As the first joint activity of the two organizations, the Gyeonggi-do & Gyeonggi DCA Investor Meeting was held at VIDFEST (Vancouver International Digital Festival). The festival took place in Vancouver on May 24, 2008, and the Investment Promotion Division of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government jointly organized the meeting. Cooperation between the two parties began with the meeting, during which both parties actively promoted support policies for foreign businesses and the favorable investment environments of Gyeonggi Province to potential North American investors.

The Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency plans to maximize exports of cultural contents providers in the province by hosting business meetings among foreign agencies and facilitating joint projects. The agency aims to establish detailed implementation plans for its Global Network Building Initiative and organize the global council by the end of 2008. The agency also plans to develop a website for joint business matching by global councils, and to actively support the export of cultural contents from the province in 2009.

– Technological and business exchanges between the two parties, and cooperation for the attraction of investment in digital contents industries, such as the animation, gaming, broadcasting, and film sectors.
– Joint R&D projects and exchange of technological expertise
– Joint business meetings and network conferences to build networks between the two regions
– Sharing of information on the development and facilitation of cluster-building programs and industrial sectors
– Education for businesses and public organizations
– Exchange of best practices in product commercialization
– Exchange of information on related industrial and economic programs
– Development of a website dedicated to business matching, with the aim of supporting the exports of member companies