Korea Telecom Freetel (KTF), the second largest wireless operator in Korea, is reportedly evaluating Qualcomm Inc.’s MediaFlo mobile-TV format — a move that raises questions about KTF efforts with the rival DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcast) technology, according to a report from The Korea Times.

The report also indicated that Qualcomm’s MediaFlo technology could get shut out of the Korean market. Neither Qualcomm or KTF have requested the required spectrum for MediaFlo in Korea and the nation’s wireless bandwidth is running at capacity, according to the report.

A spokesman for KTF declined to comment, but the report speculated that the Korean carrier is looking for an alternative technology to lessen its dependence on rival operator SK Telecom.

Last year, KTF and Korea’s TU Media raised eyebrows by agreeing to launch a mobile TV service based on satellite DMB. TU Media also runs the satellite DMB service for its parent company, rival SK Telecom, Korea’s largest wireless operator.

There may be a need to support several formats in the mobile TV market. Presently, there are three basic and incompatible formats vying for dominance in the worldwide mobile TV market: DMB; DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld), a mobile version of terrestrial digital TV standard; and MediaFLO, a proprietary format developed by Qualcomm.