Information technology infrastructure company Gabia has submitted a sole application for a new top-level domain, '.HAN', inspired by Korean culture. If approved, this domain will allow Korean Wave content companies and individuals worldwide to create internet addresses symbolizing Korean culture.
On October 22, Gabia announced that it has applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the new generic top-level domain (gTLD) '.HAN'.
The new gTLD will function similarly to existing domains like '.com' and '.net', allowing for internet addresses ending in '.han', such as 'kpop.han', 'bibimbap.han', and 'seoul-tour.han'.
This marks the first time ICANN has accepted applications for new top-level domains since 2012. During the application period from April 30 to August 12 this year, 481 companies and organizations worldwide submitted approximately 1,600 applications.
The '.HAN' domain is derived from terms associated with Korean culture, including Hangul (the Korean alphabet), Hansik (Korean cuisine), Hanbok (traditional clothing), and Hanok (traditional houses). Gabia plans to develop '.HAN' as a global domain that symbolizes Korean culture while encompassing a broad range of meanings.
If approved, Gabia will manage the entire '.HAN' domain, similar to how VeriSign operates '.com' and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) manages '.kr'.
The '.HAN' domain will be an open domain, not limited to specific companies or organizations, allowing individuals and groups worldwide to freely register domains.
However, ICANN's review and final approval are necessary for actual operation. ICANN will evaluate the domain name and the applying organization, as well as gather input from governments and stakeholders. Since Gabia is the sole applicant for '.HAN', there will be no competitive auction process among multiple applicants.
Gabia anticipates that it will take about 2 to 3 years from ICANN's final approval until the domain is officially registered on the internet. General users will be able to apply for '.han' domains once the registration process is completed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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