"SeeTown, expects accelerated growth in Korea video market by leveraging new HD     videoconferencing recently delivered into the market."   SeeTown, based in Seoul, delivering LifeSize HD video solution to the local market, expects that HD videoconferencing will invigorate and grow the market going forward. SeeTown launched in 2005 by seasoned professionals in conferencing that distributes videoconferencing products and provide bridging services nationwide in Korea, is housed in a building in an area close to COEX. They specialize in LifeSize HD videoconferencing products. According to Mr. John Shim, president of the company, "HD videoconferencing is a logical direction for a videoconferencing technology as a whole." He joined SeeTown last year as sales director along with a manager position in KPCom, recently promoted to president of SeeTown. He is a MBA holder and a seasoned expert in conferencing, well-known in Korea, and prior to the current position, he was doing market research and consulting particularly in conferencing field for almost seven years. I did an interview with him via HD videoconferencing connecting SeeTown office in Seoul and CNA Report Japan office here in Japan. Video connection during 1.5 hour interview ran very smoothly with very few packet losses, and with clear audio and video, even though the connection as over the public Internet. Korea market is a smaller one in relation to those of US, China, and Japan. However, it is now picking up with the advent of HD videoconferencing." Video and web conferencing market is now getting invigorated with HD products introduced by companies like LifeSize, Polycom, Sony, TANDBERG, and Aethra, all of which is propelled by broadband trends prevailing in the public internet and corporate networks coupled with termination of ISDN services by telecommunications providers."( Mr. John Shim) SeeTown has believed that HD is the future direction and therefore, they decided to partner with LifeSize as the sole distributor in Korea." Videoconferencing has a history of more than 20 years and has matured as technology but we thought that quality of video and audio still need to be improved. Currently, video market is dominated by Polycom, Sony, and TANDBERG and we find that there is a strong customer loyalty for Polycom products. However, HD is a newly formed segment in a video market, and in there, LifeSize is the first company to deliver HD video with a step further ahead of other competitors. So we see that there is a big chance of gaining LifeSize share in the market. We already have some LifeSize installed customers." Who are purchasing LifeSize system? "In Korea, we see demand coming from corporations, government, military, and education for LifeSize HD video. We are getting involved in big projects now and are under negotiations with some companies to deliver a package service combining network services and video endpoints of LifeSize." How do you see price discrepancy between SD endpoint and HD? " We think that the discrepancy is not so big and perceived as such in the market considering the quality difference in video and audio between SD and HD. This will accelerate a shift from SD to HD adoption." [CNA Report Japan 2007년 4월 15일]