ANT plc, a leading provider of embedded browser, content control and user interface software for IPTV and consumer electronics, announced that it is working with Micro Network Korea Co. Ltd. for local sales and technical support as part of an expansion into Korea.

ANT recently announced three new customers in Korea who have licensed ANT Galio through the company's relationship with Micro Network: Kaon Media, Homecast and InfoEq.

"Micro Network is a well respected company in Korea with excellent links into the Korean digital TV market," said Stephen Reeder, executive director, sales and marketing at ANT. "Their positioning, coupled with our growing presence in the Asia Pacific region, is a natural fit for both companies."

"ANT delivers powerful set-top box and TV UI applications, providing proven solutions that are a great attraction to many customers in the Korea market as demonstrated by the design wins with these major IP set-top box companies," said J.H. Jang, president and CEO, Micro Network Korea. "ANT's worldwide brand and leading technology, together with our own capabilities, is proving to be a real winner in Korea."

ANT's three new customers in Korea are:

Kaon Media, a Korean R&D and manufacturing company focused on the digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasting receiver sector, which has licensed ANT Galio for integration into an IP set-top box and PVR (personal video recorder). The products will be targeted to operator customers in Europe, the Middle East, India, Korea and China.

Homecast, a global set-top box supplier in Korea focused on research, development and manufacturing of receivers for digital satellite, terrestrial and cable broadcasting, will also target Europe, the Middle East, India, Korea and China with an IP set-top box featuring ANT Galio.

InfoEQ is a leading manufacturer of IP set-top boxes and video-on-demand systems in Korea. The company will use ANT Galio in targeting customers in Japan and Korea with a new IP set-top box.

ANT Galio provides a new IPTV Client Software Platform for highly dynamic user experiences. Galio enables fast, compact and easy-to-build, mixed-media IPTV applications, combining local device set-up menus and controls with interactive applications and EPGs. This flexibility provides operators with the ability to evolve their service offerings to meet new heights of customer service delivery.

ANT continues to expand its presence in Asia Pacific as this announcement follows news that ANT's Fresco browser and PurePlay digital media manager technology have been licensed by Askey Computer Corporation and Alpha Networks, both of Taiwan, for integration into IPTV set-top boxes. In addition, Coship, one of the largest set-top box manufacturers in China, has licensed ANT Fresco to target global IP STB market opportunities, primarily in Europe and Asia.