Naver to enhance internet search engine to fend off Google's ascent in Korea

South Korean internet giant Naver Corp. will update its internet search platform that takes up more than 50 percent of its total revenue, with a deep learning-based new search feature that finds information reflecting user intent next month to defend its dominance internet search market from Google.

According to multiple sources from the IT industry on Thursday, Naver will apply so-called “intent research” technology to its internet search service as early as next month. It will first apply the technology to about 40 search words before adding more.

Currently, when a user types in a search word on the country’s biggest portal service, Naver lists the results of content containing the word by different categories like shopping, view, news, and knowledge iN. A view tab that combines blogs and internet cafes also offer search results.

This has ended up users spending extra time to find posts based on headlines and photos that are related to the search word, which from time to time did not allow them to find suitable contents.

Naver’s upcoming service is expected to provide users search result content in groups based on users’ intention. The company is developing deep learning technology to categorize intent-based documents.

Kim Jin-hong, leader of search CIC at Naver, said that the latest technology will allow users to accurately find information based on their intention.

The Korean portal giant is also considering creating a support device that allows content creators like influencers to produce contents based on user search intention.

Naver’s efforts to enhance its search platform comes amid growing presence of foreign giants such as Google.

According to traffic analysis site Internet Trend, Google’s share in the Korean internet search engine market jumped to 36 percent last month, significantly up from a single digit. Naver’s share tumbled from 90 percent to 58 percent over the same period.

Search platform service accounts for 52.8 percent of Naver’s total sales. The company plans to continue and advance its search platform given it is linked to its new businesses involving commerce and financial technology.

[ⓒ Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]