Distinguished guests, 

It is our honor to welcome you all to the 13th Future ICT Forum, co-hosted by the Financial News 

and the Ministry of Science and ICT.

In particular, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Park, Yoon Gyu, The 2nd Vice minister, 

the Ministry of Science and ICT and Park, Seong Joong, a member of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting 

and communications Committee, The National Assembly.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, what is called the “creator economy” that transcends borders and time and space is gaining 

much attention. emerging. The creator economy, we often say refers to those who create online or 

mobile content. These creators make profile through paid subscription services and by creating 

customized content for their subscribers.

Kevin Kelly, an American tech futurist, said, "If you have 1,000 true fans, anyone can live the life of 

a successful creator." That's what is called the “thousand theory.” Even if you are not a powerful 

influencer or creator, as long as you have 1,000 loyal subscribers, anyone can be economically 

rich in the digital world.

The era has come when anyone with a smartphone can create various content and make money 

while communicating with users around the world. In fact, over the past three years, YouTube on 

Google has paid more than $30 billion in financial compensation to its creators, artists, and 

media companies. In addition, the YouTube creative ecosystem has created a total of over 800,000 

jobs in Korea, the United States, and Japan.

Today, rewarding creators' work or sharing platform rights have become debatable topics. Various 

platform companies are supporting content creation and collaborate with creators from around 

the world, which are considered platform business partners.

Competion among companies to attract competent creators is also getting intense. Last year, 

Facebook announced its plan to pay $1 billion to attract creators on Facebook and Instagram. 

Along with this, TikTok has announced that it will offer $2 billion in funding over the next three 

years and YouTube has introduced a shorts fund of $100 million.

It is a golden opportunity for us with K-contents in the spotlight in the global platform business 

ecosystem such as YouTube on Google and TikTok. Along with this, domestic ICT companies 

such as Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Naver, Kakao, and Krafton are leading the creator 

economy with their new technologies and services in metaverse, a three-dimensional virtual 

world, as well as webtoons and games beyond devices and communication networks.

This year, the 13th Future ICT Forum will highlight the present and future of the creator 

economy presented by global ICT companies under the theme of ‘Create everywhere, 

work with creators.’

As a keynote speech, Kakao Entertainment will deliver a keynote speech titled ‘The era of 

Super Creators’ and Google will talk about ‘Korea’s Creator Ecosystem and its Economic 

Effects with YouTube’. Also, SK Telecom will have a session regardin the opportunities 

that various creators will have globally on the metaverse platform ‘ifland’.

I hope that those who want to find a new business model in the creator economy field will 

find the answer with this year’s Future ICT Forum.

Once again, I would like to express my deepest thanks and welcome to those who have 

been willing to give keynote speech, speeches despite their busy schedules. I hope that 

you will have a productive time during sessions. Best wishes to all of you. Thank you.

Byun, Dong Shik

President,

The Financial News