KT and Microsoft Korea announced on Monday that they will collaborate to promote the development of HTML5-based applications.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies, KT and MS will seek and support Korean app developers for the World Wide Web, including venture tech start-ups and self-employed entrepreneurs.

Korea’s Internet network conglomerate and the global software giant will also provide software and IT education to potential developers as part of efforts to boost the HTML5-based Web app industry.

A Microsoft Korea official said the two companies hope to further foster the IT industry through their various support programs, and MS will actively back small and mid-size firms developing HTML5-based apps for Windows 8.

HTML5 is emerging as the standard language to support high-function, high-resolution video and graphic images for Web browsers.

The Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group, part of the World Wide Web Consortium, which has been working to develop the fifth version of HTML, plans to globally standardize HTML5 in 2014. W3C consists of 500 IT companies, including IBM, MS, Google and Apple.

HTML5-based apps will be a one-source multi-use, enabling them to be compatible with any operating systems used in personal computers, smartphones, tablet PCs and smart TVs.

KT said that it will introduce such successfully developed Korean apps through K-Apps, a Korean-version app store of the Whole Application Community, both at home and abroad.

The community was created through an alliance of some 20 global telecom companies to venture into the mobile content markets dominated by Apple and Google.

HTML5-based apps registered with K-Apps, which was introduced in November last year, will automatically be uploaded on the WAC, Korea’s telecom giant said.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)