President Son Yeon-gi remarks: "It is due to fast change in technology that every class in every area can" benefit from the newest information technology. Our priority is to narrow the digital gap between the fragile classes and the supported classes to undo the digital division between classes."
The Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion (KADO) was established to solve such problems by specifically focusing on supporting disabled people, farmers, and fishermen in rural areas to access information and communication in an easy and affordable manner. "We have been practicing a plan called Two Stepped Digital Divide Solution from 2006 and will continuously stay with the plan until 2010 aiming at 80% of citizens possessing advanced technology. From the records of 2005, 53.3 % of the citizens owned advanced technologies."
KADO is supplying used personal computers, providing information and communication accessories and special software, and broadcasting communication services for hearing and language impaired citizens. At the same time, KADO is providing the fragile classes such as disabled people, elders, marriage immigrants, and refugees from North Korea with education. The research has been consistently conducted to lead to an improved result. In 2006, the number of citizens with an advanced technology usage grew to 62%, assisting disabled people from 65.2% to 73.9%, low-income class from 64.2% to 73.0 %, farmers and fisherman from 41.7% to 49.8%, and elders from 49.3% to 58.4%.
"The ultimate digital divide solution depends on the customers who have to use the knowledge information effectively. Therefore, not only do they need to learn how to access and use personal computers, they have to learn to apply every skill and the information they get to elevate the quality of their lives. That will reduce the gap," President Son concluded. KADO opened the new brand ALPS which stands for Digital Access, Digital Literacy, Digital Productivity, and Digital Sustainability in December 2006. "That is the vision of KADO and strategy set to resolve the digital gap in reasonable steps. The agency is going to stick with the vision to construct a Together Ubiquitous World."
KADO also seeks for solution in sexual content to protect teenagers. In 2007, the Internet Cure Function will be strengthened by creating more clinic centers for internet addiction. So far, there are only 5 clinics, but it will soon be increased to 32. "We are making Information Communication Ethics textbooks for elementary school students, and the textbooks will be supplied in March this year. We feel that education is important and early education will be the most effective. Therefore, we will continuously work with textbooks for youngsters and will provide the guide books for kindergarten students," President Son asserted. Realizing how effective education is, KADO is going to educate 55,000 people including teenagers, government workers and civilians as a test to prevent any bad side effects of fast growing technologies.
KADO has established 10 Information Access Centers in 10 different countries since 2002. From this year, it aims to build three centers in Mongolia, Kenya, and Uzbekistan that will construct Korean IT infrastructure. Moreover, 1650 elite teenaged internet volunteers were sent to 57 countries so far, and 320 are expected to be sent this year. President Son adds: "The world is globalizing, and we will take every step that is necessary to be part of the global market. We have been supporting training courses every year, hosting foreign IT experts and CEOs. From 1998 to 2006, 2102 students were trained and educated."
