ADSL Available in Myun Areas Too

As the high speed Internet network will be established through myun areas nationwide, 10 million houses, that is 70 percent of the total, become accessible to the high speed Internet service. In addition, it will be possible to access Internet portals such as yahoo or daum through mobile phones and the wireless Internet network will be open completely for the participation of wired Internet business in the wireless Internet portal projects. Yang Seung-Taek, Minister of Information and Communication, reported such plans of 2003 to the President on 13th.

Minister Yang said that the government is trying to build “a wire-wireless combined high speed Internet network for the first time in the world for the Korean citizens to access to the information and knowledge on Internet through mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), lap top computers anywhere any time.”

The Ministry is planning to expand the network of CDMA to the level of 90 percent of Koreans accessible and the LAN system in the public places such as airports and subway stations to lower the price for the use of high speed Internet service.

In addition, the government will induce the investments of 12 trillion 750 million won in this area to revitalize the IT business. The government also aims to record 15 billion dollars surplus from 51 billion dollar export this year, by intensively promoting the 10 strategic export items such as CDMA, high speed Internet, and system integration (SI).

The Ministry particularly will strengthen the supervisions over the communication business and the prerequisites for wiretapping to resolve the anxieties of the people concerning privacy invasions.

President Kim remarked that “the foreigners visiting Korea during the World Cup period should return to their countries with a deep impression on the IT business and technology of Korea. By appropriately using the information network appraised by the world, Korea must step forward international market.”

Tae-Han Kim freewill@donga.com