SEOUL (AFP) - The chief of the world's top Internet search engine Google will visit South Korea this week to discuss business cooperation with local partners, officials said Monday.
Eric Schmidt is scheduled to hold separate talks Tuesday with Seok Jong-Hun, president of South Korea's second-largest portal Daum Communications, and with Kim Shin-Bae, president of top local mobile carrier SK Telecom.
Google started its Korean-language search site in 2000 but has struggled to boost its presence in the country. Nearly three-quarters of homes have high-speed Internet access but many prefer local services.
It has forged ties to provide mobile phone services with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics in addition to SK Telecom.
"The meeting between Schmidt and Seok will cover a broad range of issues and ways to enhance partnership," a Daum spokesman told AFP.
Google and Damum agreed last December to cooperate in the online advertisement market. Daum is running Google's cost-per-click search ads, one of the fastest-growing types of Internet advertising.
Yonhap news agency said the two would discuss providing user-created content posted on Google's YouTube through Daum's website. YouTube is the world's most popular online video-sharing service.
SK Telecom officials said their partnership with Google would focus on mobile products and services.
Mobile telephones equipped with Google software applications will enable users to search the Internet, check emails and map their routes.
Schmidt, Google's chairman and CEO, will also be the keynote speaker Wednesday at the Seoul Digital Forum.