Obama extols ROK for internet access, education

President Obama cited South Korea again as an exemplary case to look to in a bid to strengthen the nation’s internet connection in schools./ Yonhap

By Lee Kyung-min

President Obama cited South Korea again as an exemplary case to look to in a bid to strengthen the nation’s internet connection in schools.

He said Tuesday at a school in Adelphi, Md. that students in the United States should have the advantage that "some child in South Korea has right now."

"In a country where we expect free Wi-Fi with our coffee, we should definitely demand it in our schools,” he added.

Launched last year, Obama’s "ConnectED" initiative plans to bring in high-speed internet to public schools through government investment and private-sector support in combination.

Several U.S. companies, including Apple, AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon, are pitching in about $750 million in goods and services.

The Federal Communications Commission will add $2 billion that will benefit an estimated 20 million students over the next two years.

Education in South Korea is regarded highly as well.

U.S. secretary of education Arne Duncan has spoken highly of South Korea, arguing that parents in the United States should demand the same sort of excellence that Korean parents demand of their children.