SK Telecom has the reigns of mobile operations in South Korea as the country’s largest provider. Today they announced that they are in negotiations with Nokia in a deal that would supply their phones for SK Telecom shops by the end of the year. After two previous unsuccessful ventures into the Korean market for Nokia, the idea of taking a piece of market share from the world’s third largest market in Asia is enticing.
Unlike the new 3G networks here in the US, South Korea is one of the leader in 3G technology with a fast and dynamic mobile market packed with endless device launches unlike anywhere else. While Nokia already has a manufacturing plant in South Korea, all phones being produced there have been for export only, but this will likely change pending a finalized agreement with SK Telecom. The big edge for Nokia when entering the Korean market will be the universal W-CDMA platform which will allow Nokia to produce phones at a good price and maintain their image as a technology leader.