KT, LG in talks with Disney

KT, LG in talks with Disney The planned entry of Disney's over-the-top (OTT) media services into the local market next year is drawing attention to which telecom firm the U.S. entertainment giant will partner with in order to offer its content here. Disney's video streaming service Disney Plus is set to launch in Korea in the latter half(후 반부)of 2021, and the company is known to have been in negotiations with local telecom companies for some time. Expectations in the industry are Disney Plus could possibly partner with more than one telecom firm, given the case of(~를 예로 들면) Netflix, which has joined hands with both LG Uplus and KT to offer content via their internet protocol TV (IPTV) services. KT and LG Uplus are known to have been negotiating with Disney for some time. KT is seen to have an advantage as the No. 1 player in the IPTV and OTT market, as it is able to offer Disney Plus its vast membership base and network. Disney Plus will enable KT to solidify its dominant market presence. LG Uplus is the third player in the market but LG Group's technology affiliates(제휴하다) have an existing partnership with Disney. LG Electronics has partnered with Netflix and Disney Plus to offer their content on its LG channel, a digital platform launched in the U.S. market. "Since the beginning of this year, our stance has been that we will leave possibilities open(가능성을 열어 놓다) for partnerships with diverse content providers and OTTs," a KT official said. An LG Uplus official said "We can create synergy based on our experience offering content with Netflix.” It is unclear whether the country's top telecom carrier SK Telecom is negotiating with Disney. Given SK Telecom did not partner with Netflix, and its focus on local OTTs, there were expectations that it would forgo ties with Disney. "It is our stance that we will review various forms of partnerships to expand the media ecosystem. No decision has been made on partnering with Disney," an SK official said. Joining hands with Disney is an attractive deal for local telecom firms given its content. Disney Plus offers content of all of its affiliates including Disney, Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel and Star Wars. The OTT market here is set to heat up with the arrival of Disney Plus. Local competitors are scrambling(앞다투다) to boost their content- producing capabilities(콘텐츠 제작 역량) to compete with foreign giants Netflix and Disney.