Microsoft To Invest In R&D In South Korea

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said May 25 that his company would invest a total of $60 million in South Korea in the next three years. Ballmer, in Seoul to attend an IT forum, said his firm has set aside another $30 million on top of $30 million already earmarked for investment in research and development here.

The new investment is largely going to the Microsoft Innovation Center launched here to develop new products and technologies for export under the firm's "Innovative Korea" initiative. "With the new 'Innovative Korea,' we're collaborating with the nation's leaders to support the creation of new ideas which is the key to Korea's further competitiveness," he added.

Microsoft said it had also agreed with Samsung Corp to jointly develop a home-automation network system and signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea's education ministry on curriculum development and teacher training through a "u-learning" project over wireless networks.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2006