The upcoming presidential election is somewhat unique from previous ones in that there has been a close association of the media and public opinion, specifically through polls. The candidates and the general public are paying a lot of attention to the results of these opinion polls because they provide immediate estimations of the candidates' status and projections of who the future president might be, as compared to previous elections in which vague guessing was the norm.
 In addition, as cell phone usage has currently reached 90% of the population, wireless networks are proving to be a new effective medium of collecting data from public opinion polls. Mobile telecommunication technology can now provide real time image services on mobile phones, making it possible to conducts interviews conveniently via these cell phones. Choon-Ho HUH, a graduate of the College of Social Science, is the representative director of a mobile marketing firm called 'Mbizon', and says the benefits of wireless network public polls lie in the aspects of accuracy and swiftness.
Accuracy and swiftness of mobile surveying
"It was September last year. One broadcasting station requested a survey on America sending troops to Afghanistan. We started the survey involving 1,000 people at 2 in the afternoon and finished by 5 pm. The results were delivered on the news at 9pm that night. A rival broadcasting station announced the same news that evening but their survey results were from the day before. That broadcasting station wanted to provide news that was up-to-date but the reporter said the source of the data was from the previous day. Proudly, our clients were able to announce that their survey was conducted that day."
 Mobile surveys can reduce the work time needed from an entire day to just a couple of hours and also broaden the demographic responses as the age range of cell phone users is broad. The mobile survey was used in the Seoul mayoral and KyungGi provincial elections last June, and provided outstanding results. Choon-Ho HUH says Mbizon can conduct any kind of survey covering all areas, ages, and educational backgrounds. He also points out that the market for mobile surveys is very wide.
Mobile surveys are helping to overcome the limits of conventional survey methods
In comparison to today's survey collecting methods, those used in the past were inconvenient and extremely limiting as they could never provide representative data of the whole population. To overcome these restrictions, Choon-Ho HUH made various efforts to improve survey techniques. One idea was to hold a joint seminar with the Korea Association for Survey Research.
"When I worked for a media research firm in the past, I organized a survey team using the Internet. At that time, the Internet was pretty new to most people and we encountered some unexpected problems when doing surveys. To avoid experiencing the same obstacles, we now consult with experts in the field when we conduct projects."
 Choon-Ho HUH devoted himself to the marketing research area for 10 years. He firstly became interested in mobile surveys while he was looking for a solution to overcome the limits of conventional survey methods. He explains, "I was seeking a new medium to conduct surveys that could utilize wireless telecommunication and/or the Internet, but more conveniently, when I suddenly realized the answer was in mobile phones. I decided to quit my job at Media Research and then joined Hansol CSM to get fully involved in mobile surveys. After that, I had gained an executive position at Telcos which specializes in mobile solutions. While there, I attended the top executive manager education program, and a few months later, I opened an independent firm of my own."
Mobile phones, the new wave
The mobile business Choon-Ho HUH is intending to expand includes not only real time mobile surveys, but also advertising and shopping. He wants to create a complete marketing plan in 3 to 5 years, and ultimately seeks a spot for his company on the Kosdaq stock market. He says he is considering anything and everything that can be done through mobile phones.
"Just as the Internet made a big wave in technology, the next one will be from mobile phones. To some extent, I believe the long term impact will be more than most people realize. Because of the vast potential, I want to stay flexible and open to changes and make the most of what this field has to offer."
 Choon-Ho HUH entered the Sociology Department when it was first established at Hanyang University. He believes studying Sociology has helped him in business by providing him diverse perspectives from which to view different situations and environments. Through his studies, Mr. HUH developed analytical thinking skills and a flexible attitude which are the valuable attributes to have in the field of survey conducting and related business.
Choon-Ho HUH advises Hanyang students to develop a vision to cultivate new areas. He says, "If you cling to things that have already been done and repeated, you won't make any significant progress. If you want to be a leader, you should never give up on learning. Learn a new trend in the field you belong to and learn new skills and technology." Words of wisdom from a successful entrepreneur who understands the need to be competitive in an increasingly dynamic world.
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