South Korea: High-tech hothouse
Published: 24 Jun 2004 10:05 BST
KT Telecom already has the largest Wi-Fi network in the world, with 13,000 public access points, or "hot spots." Won-Sic Hahn, assistant vice president at KT, said the company plans to double that number by the end of the year.
"Wireless for (South Korea) is the same as the space mission to the moon was for the US," independent analyst John Yunker said. "Everyone is behind it -- government, industry."
South Korea's surge in cutting-edge technology and branded products can be credited, ironically, to one of the worst domestic disasters in recent memory: the Asian financial meltdown. The 1997 crisis hurled the country into economic chaos, devaluing the stock market by 75 percent and raising unemployment to 6.8 percent.
What's more, computer and electronics manufacturers were faced with the emergence of China as a manufacturing powerhouse, where factory workers could be hired for $1 an hour. Russia and Japan have since become more competitive as well.
The situation was so serious that, even today, many South Koreans stiffen and speak in dire tones when the subject comes up in conversation. But the daunting odds served as a source of inspiration for the country, which has a long history of overcoming political and economic adversity.
It is not uncommon for ordinary citizens to save gold in South Korea, and many pulled the precious metal from underneath their mattresses to donate it to the government. Many in this fervently patriotic country cited the Netherlands, a European dynamo that has thrived despite its small size, as a role model to maintain some semblance of optimism.
South Korea then embarked on a brazenly ambitious project to create a massive broadband system. It would provide high-speed Internet connections throughout the country, creating new domestic markets for technology while creating a national testing ground for exports. The national network accounted for 13.5 percent of the country's economy during construction.
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Blame the SK Government. They have pushed tech all... Kikki Bona Sijabat
