In the night, many Korean cars glow with LCD screen-light. Thanks to the local custom of not naming streets, vehicles are often equipped with GPS. Moreover,  seeing a bored car driver trapped in traffic jam watching a movie is  not uncommon in Seoul,  due  to  DMB-carried TV. But a new step to convergence has been done.

[ Third-party equipement : Computer with Wibro ability ]

 Hyundai and Kia issued a joint statement with KT  today announcing the launch of cars equipped natively with WiBro starting from 2012. Long-range and in-motion internet will enable high-quality movies and driver-tailored services such as traffic conditions, weather or emergency informations.

Today I came upon the news that Microsoft is to invest $147 million in South Korea over the next 5 years, they also announced earlier that they would make a strategic alliance with Hyundai Motors that involves an investment of $113 million dollars while Hyundai will provide $166 million dollars.

The plan was unveiled by Bill Gates during his talks with President Lee Myung Bak and he described Korea as a crucial business partner. This investment also involves the creation of a game development center that looks to take advantage of Korea’s massive gaming industry and quite probably in online gaming areas. On Hyundai’s side the investment is, in part, to develop a new in-vehicle music and entertainment system. The plan is an interesting example in foreign companies looking more and more towards Korea in some areas such as I have mentioned before in this blog.