The National Assembly is expected to pass a special law before the end of the year allowing Internet companies to broadcast TV shows using IPTV technology, or Internet protocol television.

The assembly's Broadcasting and Communications Special Committee's subcommittee on bill deliberations on Thursday reached an agreement on some difficult points in the proposed law. If the IPTV bill is passed at a parliamentary plenary session, Internet service providers like KT and Hanaro Telecom will be allowed to broadcast TV programs in real time like terrestrial and cable broadcasters. The committee plans to pass the bill at its meeting on Tuesday before submitting it to the floor the following Friday.

IPTV is a next-generation broadcasting technology that uses Internet protocol instead of radio waves to send out programs. IPTV allows users to interact with broadcasts; for example, a user could look up the profile of an actor or shop online while watching a show.

(englishnews@chosun.com )