Speaker Urges Creation of IT Control Tower

Kim Hyong-o, National
Assembly Speaker

By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter

National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o reiterated the need to set up a control tower for information and technology policies, Monday.

"Korea needs a control tower that can oversee and lead the entire IT industry," he said in a radio program.

Kim contended that the IT industry has been treated as a byproduct of other industries, following the disbandment of the Ministry of Information and Communication (MOIC) in early 2008.

"We are facing a revolutionary moment with the advent of smartphones, including the iPhone," he said. "We must quickly realize our failure to respond to the rapid evolution of the IT industry."

The parliamentary leader underlined the need for an integrated office, saying the making of smartphones requires cutting-edge technologies in both hardware and software.

Last week, Kim called for the establishment of a ministry or department that coordinates policies related to information, communications and contents technology.

The country's competitiveness in the IT sector ranked third in 2007 but nosedived to 16th last year among the 30 member countries of the OECD.

In February 2008, shortly after taking office, the Lee Myung-bak administration divided MOIC into the Korea Communications Commission; the Ministry of Knowledge Economy; the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.

Certain functions of the information ministry were also taken over by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Observers say the overlapping of functions and uncoordinated implementation of government policies have not only resulted in "excessive" regulations, but also weakened the competitiveness of the IT sector.

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