KoreaCrunch

Yahoo! Answers released knowledge API today for developers to access Y!A database. The Yahoo’s knowledge database has been growing in the world except korean market.

Naver was first mover with typical mass in this market. Also it released Naver Knowledge API on July, 2006. But it’s not public why it only offered to own knowledge sponsors.

What’s knowledge sponsors?
The knowledge sponsor means bussiness partners to offer continually answers to questions from Naver. For example, if someone asks a general dental issue, one of dentists will give an answer to Naver and a business logo and URL link of answerer is displayed in answer section. So they give an qualified answer with kindness. If it is helpful to users, they may visit web sites of answerers.

In Naver, there are many knowledge sponsors to do that. They get business effects from answers to Naver. If yahoo want to succeed their API, it must be offered to experts for all areas.