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I haven't seen it announced in English papers yet... so you heard it here first. =P
(I can link the korean paper article... er... if ya'll want, but I'm sure it'll be announced soon enough in Korean English based papers)
Maybe now they can get something going for real here. I've been waiting long enough...sheesh! ;-) Its gunna be fun to watch how it turns out though. He's in for a heck of a trial by fire.
[edited by: GrendelKhan_TSU at 3:16 am (utc) on April 10, 2007]
Think he's going to work for a dollar a year?!
I suppose depends on how much stock they gave him.
I mean, I'd "rough it" like Sergey with a dollar salary too... you know, rough it on the jet I mean. =P
From the sounds of it Mr. Lee is a younger man? Has he worked in Korea or is he out of the US? (You mentioned a Google R&D center, but not which one.) Any other details you can share?
How's the reception in the Korean market? Is this a big deal, or a big ho-hum?
Thanks for the scoop Grendel. It's good to have you keeping an eye on Korea for us.
From the sounds of it Mr. Lee is a younger man? Has he worked in Korea or is he out of the US? (You mentioned a Google R&D center, but not which one.) Any other details you can share?How's the reception in the Korean market? Is this a big deal, or a big ho-hum?
looks younger... late 30s...early 40s. his pic is in the korean article [etnews.co.kr].
He's outta the Korea R&D center.
Is it a big deal?
Well, I suppose in the "industry" it is... it made front page of the The Electronic Times (biggest of the "themed" papers), even if not the headliner. Its not hum-hum, but not a huge deal either. Wasn't anywhere obvious in the "regular" papers today.
Google is still the small guy here still, but everyone knows ..with huge deep pockets and international acclaim. So ppl have their eye on it.
People do know G now and I'm sure not taking them for granted as they may have before... but that said, everyone's still skeptical about google Korea's ACTUAL ability to perform with the big guns as a major DESITINATION site. They really got a looong way to go without an acquisition (which there have been a fair share of rumors and press about). GKorea IS makin way on other fronts (new contracts and deals)if more background oriented) and its a hot company to work at here now (they've been recruiting programmers etc like MAD lately)
so securing a Pres. definitely is an important milestone.
note: I do not know anything about the guy (haven't asked or dug around...yet).... but I do know its a very careful road and heavily competitive road he must walk.
...let see: secure a buy out and push the site/search engine and take on the big portals head-on? or push the background moves (syndication, mobile)? or experiment and pump out some funky stuff outta their R&D center for testing here (and later export back to the US or even China?). I think I've posted a few times which way I think would be most interesting to take it (or that I might have...read: BRING ON THE FUNK BABY!).... but at this point...might as well wait and see as well.
His next/first few moves will certainly be the best picture of the direction and strategy G will be taking for this market for some time to come...so its going to very interesting from here on out, very fast...
er... well, faster than a Google bus stuck in Seoul rush hour traffic at least. hehe =P
- so sayeth GrendelKhan{TSU}
[edited by: GrendelKhan_TSU at 8:02 am (utc) on April 10, 2007]
The man is current Pres. of Adobe Systems Korea. Wish him the best, yet i don't see G's dominant role here in S Korea.
interesting. didn't mention that in the article. I have a bud there now.. I'll ask him the deal is with him.
Well all i wish for at this stage is the availability of ETF(electronic funds transfer) payment option for adsense publishers in Korea. ListenUP G, ETF in Korea, NOW!
I bet anything its not a problem with Google Korea in this case ... its a korean banking system one.
As you probably know, Korea has one of the strictest (legally tight and lots of red tape) and most advanced (online banking security, ie: very complicated/annoying for users. GRRR!) banking systems in teh world. It is so for many reasons...but the result is... many an international co. has knocked themselves out from beating their heads up against the wall from it. I know that from experience (I've a near concussion from it myself. heh). Plus its just different... eg: so much is done via direct deposit.
So again, I suspect Korea's notorious mine field of red tape and legal hoops or whathaveyou to get something SEEMINGLY simple like an ETF through on the scale (or terms) G would want it has more to do with no decent international ETF in place yet (with big G or otherwise---I still can't stand Overtures payment gate here. @#$*)@#*$!) than G not being on the ball (in this case).
that said, article DOES say for all intents and purposes Lee is the new Google Korea Pres and it has been "decided internally". +_+ (its been rumored for a while, but front page with that kinda title I guess the leak got out.) He didn't come out of Google R&D (very poorly written article), but he was the Korea Adobe CEO (Macromedia Pres, before Adobe bought em out) and has already quit from that position month ago. He doesn't deny he will take over G Korea as Pres. but won't confirm it officially.
so take that as you will. in any case, basically, he IS the guy (assuming he doesn't do something immensely stupid or some major change doesn't take place with this month)...just want to be precise in that its not "officially announced" by G.till next month. (sorry g! - just reporting what everyone already knows and was in the papers. heh).
that said, same conclusions I drew before hold true. G has to get a lot ducks in a row and have a important moves ahead of them. Adobe CEO to Google Korea President gives him a lot of good insight into the market... but again, who knows what that actually means in terms of what he has in mind for g Korea next.
- GrendelKhan{TSU} reporting in.
[edited by: GrendelKhan_TSU at 9:32 am (utc) on April 13, 2007]
Cho Won-gyu (Wongyu Ted Cho): Engineering Director for Google Korea
and as previously stated:
Lee Won-jin, officially, as the Managing Director of Business and Operations for Google Korea (President)
[koreatimes.co.kr...]
now let the party get started! ^_^
