SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) today announced the official launch of T Smart Learning, a tablet-based smart education platform, together with 12 representative education companies and associations in Korea including Chungdahm Learning, Inc., Digital Daesung Co., Ltd., YeaRimDang Publishing Co., Ltd., Daekyo Co., Ltd., Neungyule Education Inc., Visang Inc., Chunjae Education Inc., Times Core Inc., Compass Media Co., Ltd., SMEnglish and the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Association (KFTA). The company held an event at Wakerhill Hotel under the theme of "Our Promise for Tomorrow" and showcased diverse services realized by T Smart Learning.

SK Telecom developed T Smart Learning jointly with Chungdahm Learning through a project launched two years ago with the aim to enhance productivity of the education industry. With T Smart Learning, the company expects to create a new education ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders including small private education institutions by enabling them to utilize quality education contents and know-how of 12 major education companies in Korea.

T Smart Learning is Korea’s first tablet-based education platform that offers optimized service for each user; supports interactive learning anywhere, anytime through online support community that enables students to share study tips via a knowledge sharing system; provides core functions for learning; and creates an effective learning environment by offering constant motivation.

Designed to support classroom coursework, T Smart Learning suggests customized study schedule, tips and learning materials that reflect each student’s academic level and learning style so as to help students study and learn more effectively while cultivating self-directed learning habits.

Moreover, in case a student falls behind the learning schedule, it provides constant motivation for the student through diverse measures including text messages. Fully equipped with support tools like dictionary, vocabulary boxes, review notes, smart notes, and educational games, T Smart Learning empowers students to learn in a proactive and engaging manner.

T Smart Learning allows parents to check their children’s academic performance and learning progress through real-time access over the Internet to gain helpful information on how to assist their children in the overall learning process. Accurate analysis of students’ needs, learning orientation and preference are provided to parents and teachers to assist students. 

Customers can use T Smart Learning for KRW 26,000 per subject and additional discounts will be given to those who apply for more than one subject. To mark the launch of the mobile learning platform, SK Telecom launched a promotion offering a 50% discount until the end of August.

Furthermore, T Smart Learning is expected to contribute to reducing household spending on education as its online content store called Library offers a wide variety of electronic study materials at 30-40% lower prices compared to real paper books and allows users to buy each chapter separately.

T Smart Learning will also help students who are preparing for the National English Ability Test (NEAT), which is to be implemented from 2012, through its learning contents that focus on enhancing students’ English speaking and writing skills. Currently, English language education takes up 1/3 of the total private education market in Korea.

Starting with English (Chungdahm Learning) and Mathematics (Daesung) courses, T Smart Learning will add more subject courses including Science (YeaRimDang) and Korean language/ essay writing (Daekyo) by the first half of 2012. The company plans to increase the types of study-aid books from 18 to 30 by the end of this year.

Bae Joon-Dong, President of Network CIC of SK Telecom said, "T Smart Learning will help narrow the regional gap in education that stems from geographical location and differences in the income level. SK Telecom will keep providing well-made educational contents at affordable prices to contribute to reducing the household spending on education.

Kim Young-Hwa, CEO of Chungdahm Learning said, "I am delighted to be a part of this meaningful event in the area of education. Chungdahm Learning will work closely with SK Telecom to develop quality educational contents that combines cutting edge ICT."

Meanwhile, SK Telecom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korean Fed-eration of Teachers’ Association in June 2010 to vitalize smart learning services and participated in International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2011, the largest international educational technology exhibition in the U.S., to expand international exchanges and coopera-tion. SK Telecom is also in talks with the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS), a governmental organization under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology that is currently promoting the development of e-textbooks. 

Looking ahead, SK Telecom will promote the Government’s policy initiative on smart learning by actively cooperating in the development of digital text books, after-school programs and smart learning system for students with disabilities.