Seoul to increase Internet speed 10-fold by 2012

(ATTN: ADDS President Lee's remarks in last three paras)
By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea unveiled an "informatization" blueprint on
Wednesday calling for a 10-fold increase in Internet service speed and the
construction of 10 clusters of knowledge-based industries nationwide by 2012.
Informatization refers to the growing of information-based industry or
infrastructure in a nation.
The government aims to upgrade its global ranking in state safety and
preparedness against disasters from 131st in 2006 to 30th in 2012, according to
the blueprint, which was disclosed by the prime minister's office and the
Ministry of Public Administration and Security at a ceremony in Seoul.
The government also vowed to raise its administrative transparency ranking from
36th in the world to 20th in the same period, while boosting the utilization
ratio of its electronic government service from 41 percent to 60 percent.
To that end, the government will expand the use of the so-called I-Pin
(Internet-personal identification number) service as a safer alternative to the
current use of the resident registration number in cyberspace. In addition, it
will offer real-time information on state inspections into major food hazard
cases, ministry officials said.
In a related move, the government will push to raise the portion of information
technologies in automotive manufacturing from the current 20 percent to 50
percent over the next five years, while giving large and small businesses equal
opportunities to participate in state-initiated informatization projects, said
the officials.
These mid-term projects are part of a total of 72 policy tasks selected under the
mid-term state informatization blueprint, which officials say is intended to give
the Korean people beleaguered by the economic crisis a new message of hope and
opportunities for new employment and business.
President Lee Myung-bak personally attended the ceremony held at the government
complex building in downtown Seoul.
"The nation has to further reinforce its informatization drive in preparation for
the future. At present, overcoming the economic crisis is our major pending task,
but preparations for the future are also important," said Lee at the ceremony.
"Korea ranks sixth in the world in terms of informatization infrastructures, but
the facilities are not utilized by citizens efficiently. The ordinary people
should be allowed greater access to the infrastructures."
The president also stressed the importance of integrated information networking,
saying information that is spread out cannot be utilized efficiently.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)