REACTION
The Korean government does an impressive job identifying the cause of the digital divide within their own borders and recognizing its adverse effects. The administration also does an extraordinary job of outlining proposed actions to rectify the undesirable situation. They charge that “the government should take necessary measures to strengthen its role in effectively dealing with the adverse effects arising from the widespread usage of information and communication technologies such as hacking, distribution of computer viruses and circulation of indecent information, as well as to strengthen the ties of international cooperation to help resolve this issue. Increased usage of electronic transactions and databases has only elevated the importance of the protection and security of personal information.” Since they understand the digital divide as a global phenomenon, it’s important to note their recognition of a required international relationship in battling the issue.
Figure N: South Korea's political reaction to the 'digital divide' phenomenon
At the local level, the government outlines their first objective in the e-Korea vision: “To maximize the ability of all citizens to utilize information and communication technologies in order to actively participate in the information society.”
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By providing the opportunity for all citizens to have access to Internet service and establishing a lifelong education system through online learning, all citizens will be able to nurture their creativity and to improve their ability to use information and communication technologies. As a result, all citizens will be able to participate in the information society as ‘prosumers’ of information. Their ability to utilize IT will lead to the creation of added value in all aspects of society and to the enhancement quality of life. |
Second of their projected goals is the hope “to strengthen global competitiveness of the economy by promoting informatization in all industries.”
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The government plans to strengthen the global competitiveness of existing manufacturing and service industries and to build a foundation for fostering new high-tech industries based on the present world class information infrastructure. As the IT industry is becoming an industry which strengthens the competitiveness of other industries, the productivity of existing manufacturing and service industries is expected to be further enhanced. |