Better have long

Global Summit of Women 2004
Seoul, Korea

Preparing Women for a Technology World:
Case of Korea, Sookmyung Women’s University, APWINC
Dr. Kio Chung Kim
Director, Asian Pacific Information Netwrok Center (APWINC)
Sookmyung Women’s University, Republic of Korea

Information and communication technology (ICT) is an essential means of economic growth, as well as promoting equality in class, race and gender. ICT offer enormous opportunities to narrow social and economic inequalities and to create sustainable wealth. By dramatically improving communication information exchange, ICT can create powerful social and economic networks and partnerships, which in turn can result in major advancement in development. We recognize developing and implementing gender sensitive ICT policies, along with gender sensitive ICT capacity building programs represents the best and quickest route for women to participate in the digital economy.

In the age of high technology and information society, it is essential to integrate the abilities and resources of women. It is particularly important to build up the capabilities and effectiveness of women utilizing ICT and working in ICT related sectors. ICT is a corner stone of today’s technology and it will be driving engine for building knowledge based society for women. ICT is fundamental base of Mobile Technology (MT), Bio Technology(BT) , Environmental Technology(ET) , Culture Technology(CT) , Nano Technology(NT)

Most of the countries in the world are rapidly moving into the digital economy with varying degrees of e-readiness. Korea is one of the leading countries in terms of government support, through leadership in planning as well as in allocation of resources.

1. Korea’s Case

•The Korean government sank over $1.5 billion into helping create the world's most advanced telecommunications network through e-Korea project. As a result, for accessibility, out of 48 million population, 11 million Koreans (70% of households) have home broadband connections supplying high-speed Internet access (2003). 29million Koreans are internet users (2003). 33million Koreans are mobile phone subscribers (2003). For usability, Koreans spend an average of 16 hours a week on the Internet, compare to 10 hours for Americans and 4 hours for the British. Online stock trading is 58%. 21million, a half of the Korean population uses online banking services. Cheap broadband has changed to go for contents, creating a e-commerce boom. Initially Internet traffic went overseas, 98% of it. Domestic traffic is now about 85%, and overseas, 15% overseas traffic has not decreased. Instead, domestic traffic has increased.

One of important programs for lessen the digital divide, the Ministry of Information and Communication initiated the program "Internet Classes for One Million Housewives" to help decrease the “digital divide” In which reputable private training institutions were selected to teach housewives basic Internet skills. Courses included an introduction to the PC, internet shopping, e-mail, searching for information, and child education. This project has been expanded to internet classes for two million housewives. Furthermore, follow up project, e-business classes for women are in progress.

As a result of the program, the percentage of housewives who used the Internet increased from 1.8% in May 1999 to 45% in December 2003.

Now Housewives are both e-shoppers and candidates of enterpreures at the same time.

ICT is a prerequisite for socio-economic development in today’s world, and also requires a background of stability and confidence. The experience of Korea shows how a developing country could overcome absolute poverty and surge ahead on the information superhighway.

2. Gender Sensitive ICT Capacity Building

The use of ICT cannot grow in a vacuum. It needs complementary policies and programs in education, business, regulatory framework that can foster the growth of ICT. Without holistic and global strategies, the use of ICT will remain in the hands of a privileged few. Gender is a critical factor that influences income, time availability, literacy and education. Access to facilities, training, and employment in the information technology area has gender dimensions that need to be researched and addressed through a global agenda targeting appropriate policy and institutional framework. Sookmyung Women’s University is considered to be an excellent example of implementation of gender sensitive ICT education and training. In the last 10 years, we have focused on ICT and cutting edge outreach technologies, such as wireless-LAN in 1999, Mobile campus in 2002.

Asian Pacific Women’s Information Network Center (APWINC), which is an institution affiliated to Sookmyung Women’s University is an example of preparing women for technology world. The major goal of APWINC is to foster women’s informatizastion for empowerment. APWINC achieves its objectives thru the implementation and integration of three phases to realize its vision.

APWINC conducts researches as an initial phase in an attempt to formulate gender awareness programs and projects within the region. For example, Women’s Informatization Index was developed through survey in six Asian countires. And it publishes annual APWIN journal on gender and ICT since 1999.

The second phase advocates policy from gender perspective based on the supported findings through symposia and forums for the region. APWINC hosts annual UNESCO Chair Symposium on Gender and ICT since 1998.

The third phase, which is most pivotal, focuses on gender-equal ICT capacity building, thus providing an integral solution for women’s informatization in national and regional level through dissemination, specialization and globalization strategies. Dissemination is the promotion of basic computer skills; specialization is the development of expertise in ICT skills; and globalization is the international and regional networking through training workshops such as WENT, and through On-line Learning Center (OLC).

The participants in the training workshop can develop their competency to disseminate ICT knowledge and skills for business or gender-equal ICT policies in their own country. The trained government officers, business organizations, NGOs, and academia expect to play a leading role in building e-community based on their work or business line. The e-community will provide services such as e-business training, counseling, and give a sphere of sharing best practice.

Through this matrix, APWINC is able to create networking and partnerships for Asian Pacific region, and worldwide.

APWINC, Sookmyung Women’s University will continue to take the lead and to develop initiatives in the area of Gender and ICTs at regional and international levels for women’s participation in the digital economy.

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