Report: Microsoft To Invest In South Korean Game Dev Training

The government of South Korea has announced that Microsoft plans to invest $147 million in various South Korean industries including video games, in-car technology, and education, according to a Dow Jones Newswire report. Microsoft has only officially announced limited details of its plans. Of that sum, $23 million will be targeted at the country's video game industry. Microsoft is partnering with the Korea Game Industry Agency (KOGIA) to to launch a global developer training center that aims to graduate 1,000 multiplatform developers over three years. Microsoft will provide technical support to South Korea's multiplatform game developers, with the aim of promoting development on its own platforms. An AFP report quoted Microsoft chairman Bill Gates as saying, "Another new development is a games development center to take some unique work here and adopt it to the 360 global market." Along with South Korea's own contributions to the effort, the total investment will be $313 million, and is expected to create in KRW 7 trillion ($6.7 billion) in economic activity over the next five years. KOGIA is a department of Korea's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and aims to support the country's video game industry and exports, as well as promotion game culture and e-sports. It is mandated to make Korea one of the world's top three "game powerhouses."