As Japan braces for a new national strategy aimed at building one of the world's most advanced information technology infrastructures, some South Koreans wonder whether their neighbor is really serious.
"We respect Japan in terms of technology, but (South) Korea has very little to learn from Japan as far as IT policy matters are concerned," said Sonn Sang Young of the Korea Information Society Development Institute, a government-affiliated think tank.
The South Korean government formed its Cyber Korea 21 IT strategy 18 months ago under the leadership of President Kim Dae Jung. The program was mapped out and is being carried out by the Ministry of Information and Communications, formed in 1995 to integrate all IT-related agencies over strong resistance from bureaucrats.
Park Yong Jin, a Hanyang University professor familiar with IT strategies in various countries, said: "Swift actions have been made possible by an integrated government approach. The Kim administration has all but completed legislation of an e-commerce law and other IT-related regulations. It is now pushing ahead with a grassroots campaign to familiarize 1 million housewives with IT."