More Support for Cyber Diplomats

Dear editor,

I'm writing in response to an Oct. 23 Korea Times editorial, ``Help Cyber Diplomats.'' I was surprised to read that the government's yearly support to the Volunteer Agency Network of Korea (VANK) was only 30 million won last year and that it even thought of withholding the budgetary aid.

It is a well-known fact that VANK has been doing tremendous work for Korea in cyber space. What the government does about problems such as Dokdo's sovereignty is always just talk, with no realistic measures to solve them.

If the government is not in the position of being able to butt heads with adversaries and solve problems directly, it can take indirect and practical measures, such as helping private organizations like VANK.

It's a shame the government is wasting enormous amounts of taxpayers' money with whimsical and spontaneous decisions, focusing on showing off without any productive results, and being stingy about important matters.

It should legislate a law to allot a certain portion of its budget to private organizations that work for the benefit of the country. There should be a committee that decides objectively which organization should receive realistic financial support.

Government officials always say that they are doing their best and their policies, even if they are illogical and occasionally stupid, are made for the people.

If their best isn't good enough, which is true in most cases, they are busy to make excuses to avoid blame and criticize everyone except themselves.

This vicious cycle has been going on and on for a long time. Korea is facing serious problems and should take advantage of all its resources to settle them.

Those nonprofit organizations are eager to do the work. If the government ignores their efforts and doesn't support them, who can trust or depend on it?

Lee Ji-na Teacher ljina@hotmail.com