[Column] Korea's ability to cope through the crisis
[Column] Korea's ability to cope through the crisis
  • Kim Hyoung-joong, Chief Editorial Writer
  • 승인 2020.04.02 02:41
  • 댓글 0
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Kim Hyoung-joong, Chief Editorial Writer and Head of Korea University's Cryptocurrency Research Center
 
Kim Hyoung-joong, Chief Editorial Writer and Head of Korea University's Cryptocurrency Research Center

 

Through the coronavirus outbreak, the world has begun to see Korea through new eyes. Many countries have taken a second look at this country’s can-do culture, transparency, solid technological prowess, and communication infrastructure.

Koreans do not hesitate and like to take action quickly and efficiently. That’s their intrinsic can-do culture, and it explains why they were able to so keenly develop confirmer tracking apps and produced diagnostic kits which led to their exceptional results in containing the spread of the Coronavirus.

The Korean government proactively implemented preventive action by using the testing kits. Tens of thousands of citizens were tested daily.

The apps showed the movement of the confirmed people in real-time. Then, the officials immediately sterilized the places that the confirmed had visited. In addition, people went in self-isolation and avoided visiting these places.

South Korea has succeeded to a large extent in controlling the spread of coronavirus by utilizing a rapid information sharing system.

If you buy a public mask and try to buy another one at a neighboring pharmacy, the computerized system for rationing masks immediately says "no." Communication records, credit card information and CCTV records provide real-time identification of patients' movements. Despite this data collection and sharing, no serious privacy problems have occurred.

Location tracking apps of the sort recently made by Korean university students are not easy to find in other countries. An information-sharing system like the one used in Korea, is an ecosystem simply not seen in Western society because it is difficult to share personal information.

This was recently shown to be true when Apple blocked coronavirus-related mobile apps not provided by public trust organizations such as the government and health authorities, CNBC reported, citing developers.

South Korea also showed its technological prowess and efficiency in the rapid development of coronavirus diagnostic testing. Five South Korean companies were approved for the emergency use of diagnostic kits for gene amplification (PCR).

Korean startup firms have strong technological capabilities which give the country an advantage in quickly finding solutions. Foreign countries willing to import South Korean diagnostic kits for PCR type are rapidly increasing.

Before the coronavirus was even confirmed in Korea, those companies had already prepared diagnostic kits in preparation. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that the emergency-use approval system be implemented only for PCR type diagnostic reagents, and the KCDC (Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) followed the guidelines.

Within this crisis, there has also been some positive with opportunity and international recognition of South Korea’s technological advancement. Certainly, the coronavirus outbreak is deepening public anxiety, and the economy is plunging toward the valley of death. However, my wish is that sharing the news of the success of South Korea’s technological ingenuity in overcoming the coronavirus crisis will inspire and re-energize us all.
 


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