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Already several months have passed since the Seoul G20 Summit ended. Many countries are viewing the Seoul G20 Summit and its host country in a positive light, and perhaps showing a hint of envy in their broadcasts. Well into the 21st century, globalization is now already a historic trend no one can defy. Thus, Korea is making every effort to sign free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries. Especially, for countries like Korea that rely a great deal on overseas trade for their economy, globalization cannot be emphasized enough. This is where our future lies.
Another thing Korea can boast about is that we have become a powerful nation for information technology (IT). Even at the Seoul G20 Summit, Korea was able to show off its advanced technology. On display in the summit conference room were 1,300 plus Samsung LED screens. G20 participants were given Mobile Internet TVs (IPTVs), WiBro services, and Galaxy Tabs with which they could watch live newscasts in their home countries. Also on the conference table were high-tech digital pens with which the participants could directly send memos to their entourage some 10 meters away.
However, foreigners who are visiting Korea at this moment are inconvenienced by this country’s discriminative cyber space. Even though Korea does not issue a resident registration number to foreigners, every Korean website requires one. Without a resident registration number one cannot make financial transactions, attain memberships, or use purchasing, ticketing, reservation or public services. In other words, foreigners who are not provided with a resident registration number are deprived of the right to engage in many basic online activities in Korea. How can we be proud to be a successful G20 host or a powerful IT nation in an information-based society while we are maintaining such an unequal and exclusive Internet environment?
While I was studying in the United States during the 1970s there were no such inconveniences for I was issued a Social Security number (SSN) which is equal to the resident registration number in Korea. Can we not issue resident registration numbers for foreigners staying in Korea? Even the foreigner registration number issued to long-term foreign residents is not accepted by most Korean websites.
Issuing resident registration numbers to foreigners in order to provide them with Internet services equal to those that locals enjoy is just commonsense etiquette for global citizens. Although Jeju tourism, G20 host, strong IT infra and Asia’s hub are all useful slogans of Korea, I strongly believe improving those conditions that hinder globalization within our borders should come first.
The writer is a professor of computer science & engineering at Seoul National University and chairman of Korea Open Source Software Forum
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