MIC to foster 200,000 IT specialists

The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) will devote 500 billion won to fostering 200,000 information technology specialists by 2005.

According to the ministry August 23, Information and Communication Minister Ahn Byong-Yub decided to foster IT specialists during a discussion of ministry-level measures to deal with problems in the IT industry. The minister visited various IT venture companies and listened to their difficulties, and also toured the industry to gain a better picture of it. The ministry plans to announce a comprehensive development plan that includes development blueprints for information and communication devices, software and the internet and contents industries by November.

The ministry will raise 100 billion of the 500 billion won necessary for the plan from the promotion fund for information development each year. The ministry plans to foster 50,000 of the 200,000 IT specialists as master- and doctorate-level specialists to enhance competitiveness.

As the manpower problem is prevalent in the field, the ministry plans to hold talks with the Military Manpower Administration and related administrative offices to broaden the special military service system as requested by the IT industry.

For more enhanced on-line trading, the ministry will promote a trial internet auction of items that are sold and bought through private contracts, such as office equipment and supplies. Moreover, the ministry plans to establish a standardized and integrated forum for online trading by promoting the standardization of item codes and electronic catalogues. The ministry will also consider both the international standard and the domestic conditions for the stipulation of an information security management standard and announce it within the year. In addition, the Ministry will start a national level certification service for information and communication devices next year.

In order to make forays into international markets, the ministry decided to place IT business support centers in China, the U.S., India, Israel and UK. At the same time, the ministry will decentralize the IT industry, which is currently confined to Tehran road, by setting up a IT belt around the Songpa, Bundang, and Yongin areas.

The ministry will also commence a full-scale crackdown on illegal software piracy in education and government-invested institutions from mid-September until the end of November.