[May 23] BT LookSmart, the joint venture between Internet search and navigation
site LookSmart and
telecommunications giant British Telecom
(BT), has marked the roll out of its international business operations with
the launch of its Korean directory.
Developed in conjunction with Web-based National Language Support
provider Slangsoft, the site will enable Internet users located anywhere in
the world to browse and interact in a range of languages.
Both the Korean directory and a Japanese version will go live
simultaneously, comprising the company’s first Asian language databases,
including listings of over 30,000 unique URLs based on culturally sensitive
and locally relevant information.
Since the beginning of 2000, LookSmart has increased the number of these
international directories to 30 – all based on technology originally
developed in Australia. “This number has increased from 23 at the end of
last quarter and four a year ago,” said BT LookSmart’s chief executive
officer Tim Pethick.
According to Pethick, as part of its entry strategy BT LookSmart is also
looking to add Korean ISPs to those companies already signed on to become
participants in a global rollout of LookSmart’s directory content.
BTLookSmart has already signed a Korean media group and a local search
engine company, each of whom will syndicate the LookSmart Korean directory
into their portal offerings. Internationally, the JV has signed CLEAR Net
in New Zealand, Maxis in Malaysia, Mantra in India, Infinito in Italy,
Sunrise in Switzerland and Oceanfree.net in Ireland.
