Pantech to Collaborate With Leading Global Design Firms to Enhance Handset Innovation

Pantech has commissioned a group of internationally renowned design consultancies - which includes Lunar Design (U.S.), Fuse Project (U.S.) and Design 3 (Germany), along with an additional five domestic Korean design firms - to inform its industrial design team on creative strategies and processes, ideas in styling, and trends in design from around the world.

Jin Huh, Vice President, Design Division, Pantech, said: "By working with these consultancies, we are learning more about new global design strategies and trends. We are interpreting each consultancy's unique approach to creating new phones that not only feature leading edge technologies, but are also designed in line with consumer lifestyles. Ultimately, our goal is to create an entirely new customer experience for Pantech mobile phone users".

The innovative working relationship will expose Pantech's design team to world leaders in design, bolstering Pantech's position in the global mobile phone industry and enhancing the company's understanding of mobile phone consumers in different markets. As part of this process, some 30 new concept models will be developed by the end of 2006. Of this total, a select number may be chosen for actual production next year.

Pantech's initial objective in working with the group of design firms is to inspire its internal design team. But the company may leverage aspects of the concept models that are created in future production, as part of its ongoing development as one of the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers.

As part of its efforts to nurture prospective designers, Pantech earlier this month sent a group of talented students to the U.S. to allow them to study with leading designers and consultancies. Pantech also plans to work with the prestigious California College of Art for the joint research and development of advanced designs for three months from July.

In March this year, three of Pantech's products - the PG-6200 handset, and the 'WIDE CUBE' and 'Transformer' concept models - were honored at the renowned iF (International Forum) Design Awards for excellence and innovation in the design of cellular phones.

At last year's iF Design Awards, Pantech was also honored for two of its flagship phones, the PH-L4000V camcorder phone and the PH-S4000 MP3 player handset.

About Pantech:
Pantech, through its affiliates - Pantech Co., Ltd., Pantech&Curitel Communications, Inc. and Pantech C&I Co. - is the number two mobile phone company in South Korea and is the seventh largest handset manufacturer in the world. Pantech has been responsible for a number of breakthrough innovations in the mobile technology sector, including the introduction in 2004 of the world's first fingerprint recognition camera phone, as well as award winning camcorder, MP3 and DMB phones. In 2005, Pantech affiliate Pantech&Curitel Communications acquired SK Teletech Co., the handset manufacturing arm of SK Telecom, the number one mobile network operator in South Korea. The SKY brand, originally marketed by SK Teletech as the most popular premium handset brand in South Korea, has since become part of the Pantech brand portfolio. Pantech markets its products under the SKY and Curitel brands in the domestic Korean market and under the Pantech brand overseas. Pantech collectively has approximately 5,000 employees and 22 regional sales offices worldwide. For more information on Pantech, please visit www.pantech.com.

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