Korea's Development Strategy for Information and Telecommunications Technology in the 21st Century

Abstract

This chapter shows how applications of information and telecommunications technology (ITT) have expanded in Korea, from communications technology to networked production technology, and further into welfare technology for environmental improvement. The information and telecommunications industry is regarded as a key national industry of the twenty-first century. The developmental targets for information and telecommunications technology cover three sectors that are communication, production, and environment. Until the 1980s, Korea's development of ITT had been initiated by the government. However, the ITT market growth is now sufficient to induce more private R&D investments. In July 1990, the Korean government announced the restructuring of the national telecommunications service industry, which had been monopolized. As the first step, a limited competition was introduced to the sectors of voice and data services, and full competition to the VAN service. Permissions granted to 10 new paging service providers in 1992, and a new cellular phone service provider in the first half of 1994, completed the second stage of restructuring the telecommunications service industry. Special telecommunications equipment for disabled people and rate discounts on basic services for the old, the handicapped and low-income households are provided in Korea to implement its welfare telecommunications policy.