tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65369575429930570702024-03-09T04:37:21.530+09:00 Korea's Information SocietyA blog with occasional thoughts about South Korea's world-leading digital networks and the role of the ICT sector in sustainable development. James F. Larson is the author of The Telecommunications Revolution in Korea (OUP 1995) and (with Oh) Digital Development in Korea: Lessons for a Sustainable World, 2nd edition (Routledge, 2020). He is currently a Leading Professor in the Department of Technology and Society at SUNY Korea in Songdo.James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.comBlogger1108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-48927446715794526312023-04-13T15:03:00.003+09:002023-04-13T15:03:53.094+09:00Korea's world lead in industrial robot density<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiv3Y-bj6DAXWmCttkc5u16YiK07MVd74DneeVWnV_KOIta1u7y1M-7hohbZcZLU1CJboUidLkWSFOhyUdBtPRKamwEKyY44KGC1NdM50vGy5DczCdpb9aEbBidvI1NPOcXieMgVH9wW7jkmADEEfTUquA9bizMgDVt-RHotvKzv308vhWNxv3CWIWQ/s1591/robot-density-2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1591" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiv3Y-bj6DAXWmCttkc5u16YiK07MVd74DneeVWnV_KOIta1u7y1M-7hohbZcZLU1CJboUidLkWSFOhyUdBtPRKamwEKyY44KGC1NdM50vGy5DczCdpb9aEbBidvI1NPOcXieMgVH9wW7jkmADEEfTUquA9bizMgDVt-RHotvKzv308vhWNxv3CWIWQ/s320/robot-density-2021.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />As shown in this bar chart published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) in its World Robotics 2022, South Korea continues to lead the world in industrial robot density (robots installed per 10,000 employees). It leads by quite a large margin over Singapore, Japan, Germany and China, the next top ranking countries. As explained by the IFR "The Republic of Korea hit an all-time high of 1,000 industrial robots per 10,000 employees in 2021. This is more than three times the number reached in China and makes the country number one worldwide. With its globally recognized electronics industry and a distinct automotive sector, the Korean economy profits from two large customer industries for industrial robots."<p></p><p>Another graphic provided by the IFR shows the overwhelming importance of the ICT and Automotive sectors in Korea's industrial robot installations. For those interested, the full World Robotics 2022 report provides similar data for other countries, allowing comparative analysis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2fI8q_ZjnV154OeBAW7S5VVe302mWJYLXGRICc8o6muMnsOvGIApbaLcKKvghHWEzMzZh4HFNs7k-ZAw0PrcsW-S07ZDZDlcndt2JovXeRJQRtb7IhRhPWOfnNwDcDspxOW2MlrvsLwQeq93CTVX5yOHLhj6XjAPB3iISMqeldWPi83eEXKf0rZr2g/s984/industrial-robots-by-industry-k.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="984" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2fI8q_ZjnV154OeBAW7S5VVe302mWJYLXGRICc8o6muMnsOvGIApbaLcKKvghHWEzMzZh4HFNs7k-ZAw0PrcsW-S07ZDZDlcndt2JovXeRJQRtb7IhRhPWOfnNwDcDspxOW2MlrvsLwQeq93CTVX5yOHLhj6XjAPB3iISMqeldWPi83eEXKf0rZr2g/s320/industrial-robots-by-industry-k.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-81962711311165206512023-03-03T15:57:00.000+09:002023-03-03T15:57:09.468+09:00Human writer or AI? A detection model being developed at Stanford<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKASW8A6UiY4kvNADSww1bhoVBqopiQSHrraXG1iL-6sCgc5Wa8ebwShRYBrc_oD6vNpTHYN9JYMwf5k9mD2kmWf0XaqPmOWOCUYHz_jNHtbazVI7JYTPTOYhEvsr3vSPhUYclu2dK0IjHiwqxiwvH7GBnhDcgnrq9gd4-DK2xWX_UkX1JqvX103ltzg/s961/AI%20or%20human.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="961" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKASW8A6UiY4kvNADSww1bhoVBqopiQSHrraXG1iL-6sCgc5Wa8ebwShRYBrc_oD6vNpTHYN9JYMwf5k9mD2kmWf0XaqPmOWOCUYHz_jNHtbazVI7JYTPTOYhEvsr3vSPhUYclu2dK0IjHiwqxiwvH7GBnhDcgnrq9gd4-DK2xWX_UkX1JqvX103ltzg/s320/AI%20or%20human.png" width="320" /></a></div>The Human Centered Artificial Intelligence program at Stanford University reports that scholars there have built a detection program that "...can determine with up to 95% accuracy whether a large language model wrote that essay or social media post." For more information on their efforts, u<a href="https://hai.stanford.edu/news/human-writer-or-ai-scholars-build-detection-tool">se this link to the news release.</a><p></p><p>After a somewhat long hiatus in posting to my blog, I'm planning to follow developments relating to the public release of chatGPT and competing programs soon to be released by Microsoft, Facebook (Meta) and others. This Spring semester I'm teaching both an undergraduate course on digital networks and innovation and a graduate seminar on networked communication technologies, so the development and spread of generative natural language programs is highly relevant in both classes.</p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-9586781397776254702023-01-06T15:54:00.002+09:002023-01-06T15:54:48.969+09:00More on the decline of Internet Cafes (aka PC Bangs)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDIdO-YGF9ey7gsumIhpiFQDtdbWJcVsPniRiY_5z8IGkSrcZWdNPFmSLZGmROxqmZnuvXDXQsXMJAgVL-y6OFRawDmfXs9RarGGjvBaaiiujRom3nt2yzoFzxhnpGQt1nh5nfTDB_MT49ffJaTADzNw5wHMDE5FsmhpeLWFXf1SmldDDtJBpV6AT6A/s700/internet-cafes-vanish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="700" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDIdO-YGF9ey7gsumIhpiFQDtdbWJcVsPniRiY_5z8IGkSrcZWdNPFmSLZGmROxqmZnuvXDXQsXMJAgVL-y6OFRawDmfXs9RarGGjvBaaiiujRom3nt2yzoFzxhnpGQt1nh5nfTDB_MT49ffJaTADzNw5wHMDE5FsmhpeLWFXf1SmldDDtJBpV6AT6A/s320/internet-cafes-vanish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> The Chosun Ilbo English edition caught my eye <a href="https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2023/01/05/2023010501348.html" target="_blank">with the headline "Internet Cafes Vanish."</a> In fact, they have not vanished, but their use has declined dramatically during the Covid and post-Covid era. For further background and detail on the Internet Cafe (AKA PC Bang) phenomenon in South Korea, search this blog ( <a href="https://www.koreainformationsociety.com/search/max-results=8?q=PC+Bang">a search on "PC Bang" yeilds this result</a>).<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-15698726087821909742022-09-21T15:26:00.002+09:002022-09-21T15:26:30.704+09:00Korea to spend $144 million on digitalization of R&D<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMuC2OiGxi4Bz8MEjMfTkihjb4e1UcKGA6lxJpPD-usdfxMVfhKE7SfvvFe5m2Uwc-qIOR2W6AKGfARmtnrlYaWvHD6s1IPyGWk9MtrRuFVbqTi-zhRJRmXa3_pKXBt60M8_HVvqDWpSyRCkLnqAG_iW2jmWxdCoVLXitJhDOitTZVpoxSytExwEfNQ/s983/rd-digitalization.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="983" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMuC2OiGxi4Bz8MEjMfTkihjb4e1UcKGA6lxJpPD-usdfxMVfhKE7SfvvFe5m2Uwc-qIOR2W6AKGfARmtnrlYaWvHD6s1IPyGWk9MtrRuFVbqTi-zhRJRmXa3_pKXBt60M8_HVvqDWpSyRCkLnqAG_iW2jmWxdCoVLXitJhDOitTZVpoxSytExwEfNQ/s320/rd-digitalization.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> As reported by <a href="https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220920000638" target="_blank">The Korea Herald</a>, "South Korea will spend 200 billion won ($144 million) on digital integration strategy projects over the next five years to shorten the time researchers take to solve complex problem surrounding new technologies by decades, the Ministry of Science said Tuesday." Furthermore, the announcement indicated that "... the government will use the financial support for projects that integrate artificial intelligence, digital twin and big data into developing diagnoses of diseases such as intractable cancer and dementia, nine new materials and prediction models of changes in space."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-3256467131479758402022-07-05T14:38:00.000+09:002022-07-05T14:38:03.713+09:00Revisiting the Rise and Fall of PC Bangs (a.k.a. Internet Cafes) in Korea<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9psNUgU1txiKwnu8AChLUSPmQ6ggcK-4ckloix9ElkKpcV6W4p_-LSaaqSdtS9gUe1dPEFSGxK7HtuS_yk_Yp7oT8J4N2Hz92kRsJBp8AhLpbZECT1W9ldlXeXzlhahdzR3yh2sP-UgS5M207RFK8qV78C5mDxbyuKCsfOe4CdOeCNjrGSB9YY3KM8w/s1379/num-pcbangs-2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1379" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9psNUgU1txiKwnu8AChLUSPmQ6ggcK-4ckloix9ElkKpcV6W4p_-LSaaqSdtS9gUe1dPEFSGxK7HtuS_yk_Yp7oT8J4N2Hz92kRsJBp8AhLpbZECT1W9ldlXeXzlhahdzR3yh2sP-UgS5M207RFK8qV78C5mDxbyuKCsfOe4CdOeCNjrGSB9YY3KM8w/s320/num-pcbangs-2020.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />As readers of this blog will know, I've long been following the introduction, growth and decline of PC Bangs (literally PC Rooms), also known as Internet Cafes, in South Korea. <a href="https://www.koreainformationsociety.com/search/max-results=8?q=PC+Bangs" target="_blank">A search for "PC Bang" </a>will locate a number of my earlier posts and provide some background on the main factors accounting for the emergence of PC Bangs and their eventual decline. The graphic presented here charts the number of PC Bangs in Korea from their introduction in 1998 through 2020, as estimated by the Korea Creative Content Agency in their annual white papers on Korean games. (click on the graphic to see a full size version with the numbers legible at the top of bars) Several patterns in this graphic are noteworthy.<p></p><p>First, the explosive growth in the number of PC Bangs from 1998 to 2000 coincided with the rapid growth of broadband internet services, led by Thrunet's cable modem service, followed shortly thereafter by Hanaro Telecom's entry into the market with DSL service.</p><p>Second, the decline in number of PC Bangs starting in 20010 coincided with the arrival of Apple's iPhone to the Korean market. This arrival came two years after its introduction in the U.S. and after it had become popular in about 80 other countries. 2009 was also the year that Samsung and LG began manufacturing Android smart phones. The improving technical capabilities of Android and Apple smart phones contributed to the growth of mobile games, at the expense of those played in PC Bangs or Arcades.</p><p>Third, from 2016 to 2019 there was a slight resurgence in the number of PC Bangs as Internet Cafe franchises entered the market and owners adapted to government regulations about the sale of food in them.</p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-31010757672827551762022-06-20T15:36:00.002+09:002022-06-20T15:36:35.045+09:00Death of Internet Explorer goes viral<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4sYtdfDT73Fm-Q_Y2xcRjtBd1LBgs8sgANwOF1HCSm2TrFvYN4hFLKb5APyT9rrsxR3OtOsFeES2rbeJCq2StiEfO-5wIC7yKntNFle0oh3jSj1ArxLx2O355Q-HU9SMxGFrzeA_gmL7KaBRtQXgH_S2MTpWhSQnInjg3HAkZaF_lbzkdlDNbtU/s1167/IE-grave-marker.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1167" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4sYtdfDT73Fm-Q_Y2xcRjtBd1LBgs8sgANwOF1HCSm2TrFvYN4hFLKb5APyT9rrsxR3OtOsFeES2rbeJCq2StiEfO-5wIC7yKntNFle0oh3jSj1ArxLx2O355Q-HU9SMxGFrzeA_gmL7KaBRtQXgH_S2MTpWhSQnInjg3HAkZaF_lbzkdlDNbtU/s320/IE-grave-marker.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Readers of this blog will know that I've long been interested in Korea's heavy dependence on Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, years after Microsoft itself warned against its use (<a href="https://www.koreainformationsociety.com/search/max-results=8?q=Internet+Explorer" target="_blank">click here</a> for posts on IE and cyber-security). The tombstone displayed in this photo (click for a full size version) was made by a Korean software engineer and displayed on the roof of his brother's cafe in Gyeongju went viral on the Internet.<p></p><p>The story was covered by CNN (<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/18/asia/internet-explorer-gravestone-viral-south-korea-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">see story here</a>) and other mainstream media, but a review of posts on this blog will provide additional detail.</p>Jamesflarsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478427282241370279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-66808694434423633832022-05-25T14:40:00.000+09:002022-05-25T14:40:15.682+09:00Korea's goals for AI chips<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYabGusdVsZUwL9BmY91xFm4qPquf_VQ6AzybiDRZyBeYtsDYTd3ZDl-y5JIFZYXqXN5Nm2aZGM29lNBhkbAJBiTRPQHhyv0Z7w0U0xjutlJAvz-EXfYu-EJFqC2NMNEOGE3ftE5sApAh_gUVGD-Kqo-9gNC7ykYIShQ77LnzTTYW-UEChV_bmbxAYfg/s728/ai-chip-sales.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYabGusdVsZUwL9BmY91xFm4qPquf_VQ6AzybiDRZyBeYtsDYTd3ZDl-y5JIFZYXqXN5Nm2aZGM29lNBhkbAJBiTRPQHhyv0Z7w0U0xjutlJAvz-EXfYu-EJFqC2NMNEOGE3ftE5sApAh_gUVGD-Kqo-9gNC7ykYIShQ77LnzTTYW-UEChV_bmbxAYfg/s320/ai-chip-sales.png" width="264" /></a></div><br /> As <a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/05/24/business/tech/Korea-semiconductor-artificial-intelligence/20220524181720002.html" target="_blank">reported by the <i>Korea Joongang Daily</i></a>, Korea plans to be a leader in the manufacture of AI (Artificial Intellingence) chips. According to the article, "Despite the country's strong position in memory chips and its growing presence in custom non-memory chips, ..... tomorrow belongs to companies that are best at designing and manufacturing high-performance processors, commonly called AI chips." Furthermore, " AI chips are purposely built to perform very specific calculations as fast as possible. They are distinct from general-purpose processors, which are designed for a wider variety of functions, and are better suited for very specific, predetermined tasks that require impressive calculation capabilities and low energy consumption, such as voice recognition, autonomous driving, the metaverse and the Internet of Things."<p></p><p>The article goes on to note that " The AI chip category is broad and the definition is somewhat flexible. It includes application-specific integrated circuits, graphical processing units (GPU), neural processing units (NPUs), which are similar but more powerful than GPUs, and neuromorphic chips, which are still largely experimental. Introduced in December, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute(ETRI)'s ArtBrain-K is capable of running 5,000 trillion computations per second. The system is powered by ETRI's AB9 high-performance AI chip, which is an NPU that emulates the neural networks of a human brain."</p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-45679196769871777522022-05-09T15:53:00.001+09:002022-05-09T15:53:25.088+09:00Korea's leadership in next-generation mobile networks<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvDXZRGkPvt4lvZ4r6MrUzUXSo2XLM1EwTP6qOJBamSB5HcMjzKoezBtDHY2Ot9pgkfRj_Lj99Whulor3hZZpML2O-imVRII7cKSbSc8MgW5t2O7WkMhLfsj3mZgynKTMdgK9-S0oEhG6cxcJ9ywAbtMkSl6c6tkw2LEbuhM2rCp3S01DIn1VsAs/s1007/samsung-6g-spectrum-wp.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="753" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvDXZRGkPvt4lvZ4r6MrUzUXSo2XLM1EwTP6qOJBamSB5HcMjzKoezBtDHY2Ot9pgkfRj_Lj99Whulor3hZZpML2O-imVRII7cKSbSc8MgW5t2O7WkMhLfsj3mZgynKTMdgK9-S0oEhG6cxcJ9ywAbtMkSl6c6tkw2LEbuhM2rCp3S01DIn1VsAs/s320/samsung-6g-spectrum-wp.png" width="239" /></a></div>As reported by <i><a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2022/05/133_328724.html" target="_blank">The Korea Times</a></i> and other local and international media, Korea is continuing its drive to be a global leader in the development of next generation mobile networks. As noted by the <i>Times</i>, "<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">Samsung Electronics is taking the lead in standardization of sixth-generation (6G) network technology, as the company proposed to start a global study on securing frequencies for the future network technology, which is expected to be commercialized as early as 2028, the company said Sunday. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">With the study on the network technology, the Korean tech giant aims to take the lead in the global standardization and establishment of the 6G network. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">Samsung released the white paper, "6G Spectrum: Expanding the Frontier," that lays out its vision to secure global frequency bands for 6G."</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">An earlier Samsung white paper, entitled "6G: The next hyper --connected experience for all" was published in 2020. To place these documents in a broader context, they represent Samsung's commitment as part of the Moon Jae In administrations Digital New Deal, which in turn is part of the overall Korea New Deal that encompasses a Green New Deal and more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">The Korean government's commitment to building digital networks can be traced to 1980 and is embodied in the 1980-81 "Long Term Plan to Foster the Electronics Sector." This is why I have referred in this blog and in academic publications to Korea's "network-centric digital development."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">Korea's current leadership in setting global standards for 6G is made possible only because today's ICT-sector leaders stand on the shoulders of giants like Minister Oh Myung, Dr. Kim Jae-Ik and their colleagues in industry, government and academia. They saw, in the revolutionary 1980s, what we are living through these days in the early 2020s. <br /></span></p>Jamesflarsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478427282241370279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-51398894742910718822022-03-19T14:35:00.001+09:002022-03-19T14:35:30.331+09:00Korea's Lead in 5G Speed<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7Ik8HV40OZQE_0xqW2mAyzFwHK8mWmBOKARhHahK2IOgbGh9pVRy4E4_zPH0WO8R4-ZEcOF-LQf2ETgIP6jnWQWRSNQ1XGYHTrujE97GO9DPFPyq7XX35smvvv3nD_dt5z4zhXEnNt_ZL0Tyba65jIeIH_tsrhIouaX0kW8kPVKvgO6PCr5Is7IIQQ/s3200/5G-asiapacific-speed.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1670" data-original-width="3200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7Ik8HV40OZQE_0xqW2mAyzFwHK8mWmBOKARhHahK2IOgbGh9pVRy4E4_zPH0WO8R4-ZEcOF-LQf2ETgIP6jnWQWRSNQ1XGYHTrujE97GO9DPFPyq7XX35smvvv3nD_dt5z4zhXEnNt_ZL0Tyba65jIeIH_tsrhIouaX0kW8kPVKvgO6PCr5Is7IIQQ/s320/5G-asiapacific-speed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />A new <a href="https://www.opensignal.com/2022/03/17/benchmarking-the-5g-experience-asia-pacific-march-2022" target="_blank">OpenSignal report</a> on 5G progress in the Asia-Pacific region underscores South Korea's global lead in implementing 5G network infrastructure. (click on the graphic for a full size version) The report includes measures of speed, along with user experience and 5G availability and reach. As shown in this graphic, Korea leads the region (and therefore probably the world) in average 5G download speed, 5G peak download speed and 5G upload speed.<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-865782173149499882022-01-13T14:56:00.004+09:002022-01-13T14:56:42.629+09:00Korea's place in global EV battery market<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBtXKOTarjKASqB6oD4lM8dDsU47feSet2C7Yg3eHTvEQcaVJjcZQmzY7xTu28D8_VJM0EqTUnCxvkoyffvsogflorQlCzCCI6pcvC0g5KmOT6Zf0d-dsvUsJP4zC1srKMELRaRp6MXF0p1ef-qByXlMcfI6clu1veI9T5oh022XMQe7l7VxUtnng3qA=s957" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="957" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBtXKOTarjKASqB6oD4lM8dDsU47feSet2C7Yg3eHTvEQcaVJjcZQmzY7xTu28D8_VJM0EqTUnCxvkoyffvsogflorQlCzCCI6pcvC0g5KmOT6Zf0d-dsvUsJP4zC1srKMELRaRp6MXF0p1ef-qByXlMcfI6clu1veI9T5oh022XMQe7l7VxUtnng3qA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> As shown in this infographic, (click for a full size version, China leads the world in production of batteries for electric vehicles. Korean companies together make up almost another third of the global market.<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-71185673940671963552021-12-27T15:51:00.002+09:002021-12-27T15:58:17.045+09:00Korea's economic journey in the OECD<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoCR8AssTcxDEKFOiAYxS9yzHHzLG-HEfM9ikjwpagPmrP_DPHjnsg9egIHFrK8jbJpS48F7ifu_D-c2tHRheQWrT6RMfYvNkAbTrp0Q_fRSrWTj78wT2GlFlPvnlN8FRx2SROm5rAZk3E-g82qB2UY-mRNYJglkzdrmo7vPv10nCi_GPX4MhuvZPy4A=s1151" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1151" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoCR8AssTcxDEKFOiAYxS9yzHHzLG-HEfM9ikjwpagPmrP_DPHjnsg9egIHFrK8jbJpS48F7ifu_D-c2tHRheQWrT6RMfYvNkAbTrp0Q_fRSrWTj78wT2GlFlPvnlN8FRx2SROm5rAZk3E-g82qB2UY-mRNYJglkzdrmo7vPv10nCi_GPX4MhuvZPy4A=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />A column contributed by Vincent Koen of the OECD provides a valuable sketch of Korea's economic progress since it joined the OECD in 1996. (click on the graphic for a full size version) Particularly notable, as illustrated, is that Korea's GDP per capita surpassed that of Japan in 2020. As reported by <i><a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2021/12/488_321191.html" target="_blank">The Korea Times</a></i>, the column notes that "The so-called "Miracle on the Han River" had transformed one of the world's poorest countries at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War into an economy where per-capita income matched that of some European countries. Nevertheless, it was still far below the OECD average in 1996. Over the past 25 years, Korea has carried out major economic reforms, aligned its policies on OECD best practices in many areas, increased its integration into the global economy and further enhanced its technological and human potential. GDP per capita converged to the OECD average and overtook Japan's, and Korea became the world's 10th-largest economy."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-31013762807774976172021-12-27T15:38:00.001+09:002021-12-27T15:38:20.326+09:00Controversy over "beep" sound for unvaccinated<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6z8AYF3qxHti1G8OrynTnph8Gzj8-br6vDd1mud8ROr9PKyVseSHgVon-9DiHeqxDkObINje3-oBfeQKNSJ3yTe6m1I03vSvnCYKQBEX9NFX55dzCOYr_SrR3TzS8BTwirpfsx8jTDRvxoU4uNE8nuK_vP32-hJwGMgM4iE18KHbVyRG5EKN2kFlpWw=s1109" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1109" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6z8AYF3qxHti1G8OrynTnph8Gzj8-br6vDd1mud8ROr9PKyVseSHgVon-9DiHeqxDkObINje3-oBfeQKNSJ3yTe6m1I03vSvnCYKQBEX9NFX55dzCOYr_SrR3TzS8BTwirpfsx8jTDRvxoU4uNE8nuK_vP32-hJwGMgM4iE18KHbVyRG5EKN2kFlpWw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />As reported by <i><a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021/12/119_321188.html" target="_blank">The Korea Times</a></i>, the government's proposal to introduce a "beep" sound for unvaccinated people into its mobile app is generating some controversy. (click on the graphic for a full size version) The article notes that "<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">Criticism is rising over the government's plan to introduce a warning sound function to the vaccine pass system to check the validity period of the permit and identify unvaccinated people. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">Critics say it could violate their human rights and lead to discrimination, treating unvaccinated people like shoplifters or criminals with electronic anklets. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Noto Serif KR", Times, serif; font-size: 17px;">According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the 180-day validity period of a vaccine pass from the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will take effect on Jan. 3 at multiuse facilities including restaurants and cafes, a measure to encourage people to get booster shots."</span><p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-81446703044112526892021-12-21T15:39:00.001+09:002021-12-21T15:39:44.660+09:00A good year for Korean Internet companies<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqlRSUhZSOQV3oOvfa4dXjUlRH96i8XAm82QXuRe0dByhslr5Bon82bJMOl9Fh-8XtOBIsoL3bk37lDwnSHxVE_b03IygDo-BOFGYzHYBi5dnCJTYgKliINcjGfDD4rx9QA5EoTKf5bhn9JQe51xBvPFy7Jx8geMuFxv_f85r5kfNUJSO2uCQgjCELhw=s882" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="882" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqlRSUhZSOQV3oOvfa4dXjUlRH96i8XAm82QXuRe0dByhslr5Bon82bJMOl9Fh-8XtOBIsoL3bk37lDwnSHxVE_b03IygDo-BOFGYzHYBi5dnCJTYgKliINcjGfDD4rx9QA5EoTKf5bhn9JQe51xBvPFy7Jx8geMuFxv_f85r5kfNUJSO2uCQgjCELhw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> As reported by the <i><a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/12/20/business/finance/bluechip-kospi-naver/20211220175617406.html" target="_blank">Korea Joongang Daily</a></i>, Korea's major stock market index (KOSPI) indicates that Internet companies had a very good year in 2021. (click on graphic for a full size version)<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-17124272731078781362021-12-19T16:20:00.001+09:002021-12-19T16:20:14.214+09:00Hyundai Motors' micro-mobility initiative<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin7PTrNaWntNUWcNW9Lej4nmqtOXARjScOxwc_7PVk7Vp3gbYp0NmGLvgu-eVQPlRotkLGeQzAOLOEymqpDrGkaqVdZ4RWtZkpk0Jij-oNbjVM-Hcu4KSwojy_3SP6-2RRtXrnoH1fPp-xBcvEu3JAeVoiT2-bBnEIZY-i7ppTHZVpLMN3xLh9CvU=s881" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="881" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin7PTrNaWntNUWcNW9Lej4nmqtOXARjScOxwc_7PVk7Vp3gbYp0NmGLvgu-eVQPlRotkLGeQzAOLOEymqpDrGkaqVdZ4RWtZkpk0Jij-oNbjVM-Hcu4KSwojy_3SP6-2RRtXrnoH1fPp-xBcvEu3JAeVoiT2-bBnEIZY-i7ppTHZVpLMN3xLh9CvU=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />Hyundai's purchase of the robotics company Boston Dynamics earlier this year spoke volumes about the company's long term goals for mobility technologies. Another indication of these goals comes with the announcement that Hyundai has developed a micro-mobility concept. (click on the graphic for a full size version). As reported by the<a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/12/16/business/industry/hyundai-motor-mobed/20211216182259958.html" target="_blank"> </a><i><a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/12/16/business/industry/hyundai-motor-mobed/20211216182259958.html" target="_blank">Korea Joongang Daily </a> </i>"Hyundai Motor has developed a standard configuration small robotic systems, a mini version of its E-GMP, the base for most of the company's electronic vehicles. Mobile Eccentric Droid, or MobED, will weigh 50 kilograms (110 pounds), have a 2 kilowatt-hour battery and have four wheels with independent suspension and steering. It will be able to achieve speeds of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) per hour and run for four hours on a single charge. MobED will be able maintain a stable ride even on slopes or uneven roads."<p></p>Jamesflarsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478427282241370279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-30417228475030182432021-12-14T16:18:00.006+09:002021-12-14T16:18:58.262+09:00Korea's Covid vaccine pass system crashes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_GfFgMGGKu347jQVGC4qs_FOaXQOD5ujayYuTPWfJ7O7XMDB5dkBy_zZlpW4CqcxyZNnbTzz4IV7oij7tP6k2sLWhigSgbZgzalStNuZafwAIY95juineJE1ojWn3oG3R_My9nWOC44y_fH50jWAbsPyXY-LdfqFDUdRBE8fofYDf4FnW4odUrWYLXg=s703" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="703" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_GfFgMGGKu347jQVGC4qs_FOaXQOD5ujayYuTPWfJ7O7XMDB5dkBy_zZlpW4CqcxyZNnbTzz4IV7oij7tP6k2sLWhigSgbZgzalStNuZafwAIY95juineJE1ojWn3oG3R_My9nWOC44y_fH50jWAbsPyXY-LdfqFDUdRBE8fofYDf4FnW4odUrWYLXg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> On Monday of this week the Korean government initiated a vaccine pass system to limit access to restaurants, coffee shops and other establishments to those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID. Unfortunately, as shown in the picture and widely reported in the local press, the system's servers crashed during the lunch and dinner hours due to the high traffic load. As reported by the Korea Joongang Daily, "The country’s expanded vaccine pass system got off to a poor start Monday as it crashed around lunchtime because too many people were using it. The COOV app, which holds an official digital copy of Covid-19 vaccination records, was nonfunctional from around 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m., preventing people from using it to gain access to facilities like restaurants and coffee shops.At around 6 p.m., the system again became very slow to load or nonfunctional. Other apps connected to COOV for QR code verification such as Kakao, Naver and Toss Bank, also did not work, either leaving the QR Code screen blank or displaying a wrong vaccination status. " <p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-6274463539896369082021-10-24T15:10:00.001+09:002021-10-24T15:10:31.094+09:00Samsung World's Fifth Largest Brand Value<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPPFQtEimfzpC41RBoEg1cO4HYnvUHLvmPTljzeHEiG7bgI4mBerqrdkp_7tp4G1Z_9X0j7Bw-N5S8Y5kI_uMUDBMxjbS_K80rle-LyZ6SFB3FrjO42OA4RBNKYlDAOdoHlMf1AFPldEG/s1002/Samsung-brand-value-growth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="1002" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPPFQtEimfzpC41RBoEg1cO4HYnvUHLvmPTljzeHEiG7bgI4mBerqrdkp_7tp4G1Z_9X0j7Bw-N5S8Y5kI_uMUDBMxjbS_K80rle-LyZ6SFB3FrjO42OA4RBNKYlDAOdoHlMf1AFPldEG/w640-h173/Samsung-brand-value-growth.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Samsung, by far the largest of Korea's corporations, had the fifth largest brand value in the world, according to the annual report recently published by Interbrand. Only Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google had higher brand values. This measure helps to explain why Korea is sometimes referred to as the "Republic of Samsung." As shown in the graphic provided by Samsung's newsroom (click for a full size version) Samsung Electronics rose from 19th in the international brand value rankings in 2010 to fifth in 2020 and 2021.</p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-48429016697070429382021-10-21T13:54:00.006+09:002021-10-21T13:59:02.709+09:00Korea completes world's first nationwide LTE public safety network<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzfA8FHGW3iEgHt6UYbhnurjgPWVsR79HnX1BcBDOTOhdUBqGLodQYHsf_yOmmCVjYHEwEr7Pd4qOSegbz-cEsXfnsEW2ORkr3ICZtq43NnKPa8bL15Ad0b1Id2nUAzIz8FBVshvB09wQ/s470/ps-lte-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="470" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzfA8FHGW3iEgHt6UYbhnurjgPWVsR79HnX1BcBDOTOhdUBqGLodQYHsf_yOmmCVjYHEwEr7Pd4qOSegbz-cEsXfnsEW2ORkr3ICZtq43NnKPa8bL15Ad0b1Id2nUAzIz8FBVshvB09wQ/s320/ps-lte-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> In March of this year, Korea completed the world's first nationwide public safety network. The accomplishment received some attention in the mainstream media and arguably should have been noted earlier in this blog to update earlier posts. (<a href="https://www.koreainformationsociety.com/search?q=public+safety+LTE+network&max-results=8&by-date=true" target="_blank">see some of them here</a>). As <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-completes-nationwide-public-safety-network-in-south-korea/" target="_blank">reported by ZDNet</a>, Samsung announced completion of the public safety LTE network in April of this year. The ZDNet article noted that "It will be used by 333 public safety organisations and agencies in the country, including the police, firefighters, emergency medical services, and the military. According to Samsung, the nationwide network will serve as a unified platform that helps interoperability among these various public safety institutions during emergency situations." Furthermore, the article noted that "The deployment includes the company's mission-critical push-to-talk feature, a kind of evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service, Samsung said. It enables simultaneous transmission to up to 2,500 user devices per cell, double the number of devices supported by previous generation technologies and standards, such as Terrestrial Trunked Radio. The PS-LTE network is also interconnected with LTE-Maritime and LTE-Railway networks which also operate on 700MHz spectrum, the company added."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-88010505731358225642021-09-25T16:29:00.000+09:002021-09-25T16:29:13.856+09:00The Sewol Ferry tragedy and digital technologies<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5_A8dq2fA5o" width="320" youtube-src-id="5_A8dq2fA5o"></iframe>For those who wish to understand the full impact of the tragic sinking of the Sewol Ferry in April of 2014, the half-hour film by Yi Seung-jun is must viewing. It was published by The New Yorker as a documentary episode in 2019 and has also received wider distribution on YouTube. Consequently, this post is long overdue.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The film presents the tragic event as a chronological documentary that is truly heart-wrenching, but necessary viewing for those who want to better understand the Sewol tragedy and its influence on Korea's politics and digital development Those of you who may have followed earlier posts on this blog (which can be reviewed <a href="https://www.koreainformationsociety.com/search/max-results=8?q=Sewol" target="_blank">at this link</a>) will benefit from viewing the film. </div><p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-23177053357841109952021-09-04T16:41:00.004+09:002021-09-04T16:41:42.994+09:00Korea's exports surge 34.9 percent in August<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTuNkNIP5mQngwfF_VhlClr4zjEiklaGRPfMX3Bhjj9M2HGHZM9su73rrlf7N3nQzk_KHsP_T1oHsdmS8vEeZ2u0IrCb0L_pqgRnBv03uiWcQwC0c8DHDCzRgqlgrgnrIAo39sZgSZdD8/s727/record-exports.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="529" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTuNkNIP5mQngwfF_VhlClr4zjEiklaGRPfMX3Bhjj9M2HGHZM9su73rrlf7N3nQzk_KHsP_T1oHsdmS8vEeZ2u0IrCb0L_pqgRnBv03uiWcQwC0c8DHDCzRgqlgrgnrIAo39sZgSZdD8/s320/record-exports.png" width="233" /></a></div><br />As reported by <i><a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/09/01/business/economy/Export-Covid19-Export-August/20210901151100479.html" target="_blank">The Korea Joongang Daily</a></i> and other local media, Korea's exports grew by about 35 percent in August, with semiconductor chips leading the way. As noted in the article, "August’s exports were led by semiconductor exports, up 43 percent year-on-year to $11.7 billion as demand for computer chips remained strong. Exports of semiconductors in August hit a record. Semiconductor exports increased for 14 consecutive months, and the rate of increase has been double digit for five months." Other ICT sector exports or products heavily influenced by digitalization played a role in this pattern. "Wireless telecommunication equipment exports were up 62.2 percent year-on-year to $1.4 billion helped along by the rollout of new phones. Exports from new industries, including those involved in the making of electric vehicles (EV) and biopharmaceuticals, were strong. EV exports surged 130.8 percent, while biopharmaceutical exports grew 17.1 percent." Clearly digital technologies and industries that depend on them are the primary engine of this nation's export led economy. <p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-47930679567757416582021-08-02T15:34:00.005+09:002021-08-02T15:34:58.227+09:00Korea's exports surge during COVID, led by semiconductors<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnTfig0mxYdl9NF1F5rTRjP9J7fl5p1U09O5IH82l2linx-HggMFoACLwzBS6nDP_Fc2lj7TCg9uPXGAOQQ_tKtoDVNKe9S8p5gEPvB67gM8ct2fAtLj2eSasp9wi8zuW6F3IJooRKBTe/s1150/export-growth-since-covid.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="1150" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnTfig0mxYdl9NF1F5rTRjP9J7fl5p1U09O5IH82l2linx-HggMFoACLwzBS6nDP_Fc2lj7TCg9uPXGAOQQ_tKtoDVNKe9S8p5gEPvB67gM8ct2fAtLj2eSasp9wi8zuW6F3IJooRKBTe/s320/export-growth-since-covid.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> As reported widely in the Korean press, Korea's exports surged during the COVID pandemic to date, with the main export being semiconductors. As reported by <i><a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2021/08/693_313170.html" target="_blank">The Korea Times</a></i>, in July the nation's exports reached their highest level since 1956. The pattern during the COVID outbreak is shown in the accompanying figure (click for a full-size version). Automobile exports also contributed to this export success, as noted in<i> The Korea Times</i> article. " Overseas chip sales rose 39.6 percent to $11 billion on growing demand from data centers. Automobile exports also rose 26.4 percent year-on-year in July to $4.1 billion, backed by easing automotive chip shortages, as well as higher sales of high-end models, including in sport utility vehicles and electric cars."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-64912506562057110142021-07-11T15:42:00.002+09:002021-07-11T15:42:46.301+09:00Mobile ID cards in Korea by 2025<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EBouTGKy5MgtRJiOsH9I0d7rZ8oi85BlQpZ9jAwGlx8oLddFed7IDm2yAY91kFMTcPvh37EvOPY6-8wcti_tM4ILREnFDTIHSBvUaVELj_BR-SlSKPHvXT0mAFbH4O83PKXp_XZExt6u/s769/mobile-drivers-license.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="769" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EBouTGKy5MgtRJiOsH9I0d7rZ8oi85BlQpZ9jAwGlx8oLddFed7IDm2yAY91kFMTcPvh37EvOPY6-8wcti_tM4ILREnFDTIHSBvUaVELj_BR-SlSKPHvXT0mAFbH4O83PKXp_XZExt6u/s320/mobile-drivers-license.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> As <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210623007100315" target="_blank">reported by Yonhap</a> and other local news media, the Korean government plans to introduce mobile ID cards by 2025. As reported, "The planned introduction of mobile ID cards and other measures are included in the government's second five-year basic plan for the electronic government released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The ministry presented "A good world opened by digital" as the vision of the basic e-government plan. The plan calls for raising the digital conversion rate of major public services to 80 percent and the cloud computing conversion rate of the administrative and public sector to 100 percent by 2025. Specifically, the use of electronic certificates, mobile identify verification and simple authentication will be expanded, the ministry said. In particular, the mobile driver's license, which will be introduced late this year, is expected to enable convenient identification both online and offline, it said."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-17875474024065299422021-06-24T08:48:00.003+09:002021-06-24T08:48:40.068+09:00Korea leads world in reliable 5G download speeds<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFWdDWqX9QoEH0xGZl40_p6bZFbhC3QjlJGztYB9xKH75ZQ3hYjDq8mzg5Q9E_pAAH5eVbq6fLUEv5F16T6z7-lU65huDMh_nYjjK5biYBLuQpBMvAIWj5rjjLAKmaWO78c3kLFdmYwVp/s961/5g-4g-reliable-speed.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="961" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFWdDWqX9QoEH0xGZl40_p6bZFbhC3QjlJGztYB9xKH75ZQ3hYjDq8mzg5Q9E_pAAH5eVbq6fLUEv5F16T6z7-lU65huDMh_nYjjK5biYBLuQpBMvAIWj5rjjLAKmaWO78c3kLFdmYwVp/s320/5g-4g-reliable-speed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> A recent analysis by OpenSignal showed that Korea leads the world in the download speeds that can be reliably expected by 5G users. (click on the graphic for a full size version) Reliable speed is the average speed that 90% of all users exceed.<p></p><p>The second graphic, below, shows the reliable download speeds for all 20 countries included in the Opensignal report. Korea's 5G speeds are followed, in order, by those in Taiwan, Finland, and Australia.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOUeHEj2mXTH6KUZB6Pb0JaY3uLtu77J6lF-Pcpr5ghkGw8xY9YPrgpAqp_tGWgM6S5ADPniLCvIGzxUjgJBO_yUSTMJDaYvKCvS-864m7W0g10r2nYjaLeBWIdetLDOPP_tyDWa9lXrP/s829/5g-4g-reliable-speed-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="829" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOUeHEj2mXTH6KUZB6Pb0JaY3uLtu77J6lF-Pcpr5ghkGw8xY9YPrgpAqp_tGWgM6S5ADPniLCvIGzxUjgJBO_yUSTMJDaYvKCvS-864m7W0g10r2nYjaLeBWIdetLDOPP_tyDWa9lXrP/s320/5g-4g-reliable-speed-2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-79099536779373999412021-06-18T16:25:00.002+09:002021-06-18T16:25:49.528+09:00Kakao now Korea's third most valuable firm<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCiayH43GbymMcCmCtW-oO8Qw8-TSqLq0Zu7WggRuWnqkd7xqHBK7CmYEqhEioddAgevD0treqz1w07Kugas43v13VpWF3DyXmXBhaPAizQY8B_zchr5kA0yC82aafa0qv81g08wf2nnf/s720/kakao-hdqtrs-jeju.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCiayH43GbymMcCmCtW-oO8Qw8-TSqLq0Zu7WggRuWnqkd7xqHBK7CmYEqhEioddAgevD0treqz1w07Kugas43v13VpWF3DyXmXBhaPAizQY8B_zchr5kA0yC82aafa0qv81g08wf2nnf/s320/kakao-hdqtrs-jeju.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />As reported by Yonhap, Kakao recently surpassed Naver to become Korea's third most valuable firm.(Click on the graphic showing Kakao's headquarters in Jeju for a full size version) As reported by Yonhap, "Kakao Corp. has an insatiable appetite for platform businesses, spanning messenger, e-commerce, mobility, content and finance, and now it has earned another title: South Korea's third-most valuable company." As of June 15, "Kakao's shares rose 1.4 percent to close at a record high of 144,500 won (US$129) on Tuesday, extending its winning streak to a seventh day. Its market capitalization stood at 64.1 trillion won, taking the No. 3 spot following two chip giants -- Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc." Furthermore, "While the nation's top two platform operators were once content to stay in their own competitive fields -- Naver in portal and Kakao in messenger -- they are now competing on multiple fronts, including e-commerce, mobile payment, content and finance."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-60524988530197859442021-06-15T14:58:00.002+09:002021-06-15T14:58:37.562+09:00Strong ICT exports in May 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYnFM20U7guvrc5vN-pKnFmF7lz2DKA_FKXkN4Quo_qFJTi9JxWzyMbmEauLsvx4vhecv-7v-kcRmxakMKiV4Z9LCAeyncaL2T9CYoN7BKlxacIxJQxnHG72hRcXZ19GGfyZgVN_N3ykM/s864/k-ictexports-may-2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="864" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYnFM20U7guvrc5vN-pKnFmF7lz2DKA_FKXkN4Quo_qFJTi9JxWzyMbmEauLsvx4vhecv-7v-kcRmxakMKiV4Z9LCAeyncaL2T9CYoN7BKlxacIxJQxnHG72hRcXZ19GGfyZgVN_N3ykM/s320/k-ictexports-may-2021.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />As reported by <i><a href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210614000394&np=1&mp=1" target="_blank">The Korea Herald</a></i>, "South Korea's exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products rose around 30 percent last month, data showed Monday, thanks to strong demand for semiconductors, displays and mobile phones amid signs of a global economic recovery from the pandemic-induced slump. Outbound shipments of ICT products were tallied at $17.73 billion in May, up 27.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Science and ICT. The latest figure marked the second-largest amount for the month on record after 2018 and the 12th consecutive month of on-year gains."<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6536957542993057070.post-78737136040129703612021-05-26T15:56:00.002+09:002021-05-26T15:56:58.296+09:00The end of 2G mobile telephony in Korea<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazKWn3ATA40P_sFuKpuC1xxSBreRdYW8IClIJgdFguzAOsopxJwZwMV5byLCLe8kefo1bULTRWUaiAcx2mAQjYkYAbChAdPOEn3hLDQlSWZ-pdLOJLbHqljXSLZ286vkT4s_kMsBHgShm/s754/LG-ends-2G.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazKWn3ATA40P_sFuKpuC1xxSBreRdYW8IClIJgdFguzAOsopxJwZwMV5byLCLe8kefo1bULTRWUaiAcx2mAQjYkYAbChAdPOEn3hLDQlSWZ-pdLOJLbHqljXSLZ286vkT4s_kMsBHgShm/s320/LG-ends-2G.png" width="320" /></a></div>As reported by <i><a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/05/25/business/industry/lg-u/20210525191000322.html" target="_blank">The Korea Joongang Daily</a> </i>and other local media, the Ministry of Science and ICT is allowing LGU+ to discontinue its 2G service in late June of this year. (click on the graphic at left to see some of the 2G phones that were popular beginning in the late 1990s) The <i>Joongang Daily </i>article noted that "LG was the last of Korea's three mobile carriers to keep 2G services going. KT suspended them in 2012 and SK Telecom, the biggest in Korea, in July 2020." It went on to report that "As of mid-May, 140,000 LG U+ subscribers were using 2G networks, 0.82 percent of the carrier’s customer base. They will be offered discounts on plans using 4G LTE or 5G network. They will all need new phones, and will be offered free smartphones from among 15 options. For the sake of convenience, 2G users must be able to make the shift to 4G or 5G via phone, without visiting a store. For customers over 65, an LG U+ employee can visit their homes." The end of an era, as Korea is pushing to increase adoption of its new 5G services.<p></p>James F. Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15659716363701288402noreply@blogger.com0