The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications and South Korea's Korea Communications Commission (KCC) agreed to co-operate in-depth in the television field in Ha Noi last Friday.

Viet Nam and South Korea boost co-operation to produce joint programmes in television services. — Photo ictnews.vn

The two sides agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the first six months of this year and set up teams to boost their co-operation.

Viet Nam and South Korea have worked together in the past to produce programmes and dramas and buy copyrights for TV shows.

Korea's Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) helped Viet Nam Television (VTV) to develop VTV7, a new national education channel, which was officially launched last Friday.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son said the launch of the channel was a result of the co-operation between VTV and EBS.

VTV has also worked with a Korean partner to produce a drama, titled Tuoi Thanh Xuan (Forever Young).

Son spoke highly of their cooperation and said he hoped the two sides would work together to produce programmes on sports and culture.

KCC Chairman Choi Sung-joon said that through the co-operation, the two countries would be able to share television programmes and produce them together to export to other countries.

The two leaders also discussed the development of television's integration with the telecommunications sector.

Co-operation in the sector would allow viewers to watch TV not only at home but also on smart devices anywhere and at any time.

Boosting 4G co-operation

Viet Nam plans to pilot and license 4G services this year.

Choi said the Korean side would be glad to help Viet Nam pilot 4G technology and hoped the country would launch the service soon.

The MoU is expected to open a new era of the bilateral cooperation in telecommunications, information and technology and media.

Successful piloting and coming to provide 4G commercially are determined to be strategic tasks of the country's network providers this year.

Viettel has already installed 200 base transceiver stations and piloted the 4G technology in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

VNPT is also preparing to launch trials in Phu Quoc and HCM City.

Another telecom giant, MobiFone, will test 4G in the first quarter of this year.

VNS