SKorea's Lee highlights Internet benefits, dangers

ahmedvisham · #1 17-06-2008, 10:55 PM

South Korea's embattled President Lee Myung-Bak Tuesday highlighted the benefits and dangers of the Web as he addressed an international meeting on the future of the Internet economy.

Lee, grappling with IT-inspired mass protests over his decision to resume US beef imports, bemoaned the "spread of falsehoods" via the Internet in a speech to an OECD ministerial meeting on information technology.

He did not mention the spate of protests by Koreans citing supposed mad cow disease dangers, which are sometimes fuelled by Internet rumors.

In his speech to the meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Lee said "human creativity has been remarkably enhanced" through the Internet, with people empowered to share knowledge and information worldwide.

"The Internet economy is expediting the development of a knowledge-based society, thus leading to new economic growth and job creation," he said.

Lee also called for the Internet to "be a space of trust. Otherwise, the force of the Internet could turn out to be venomous rather than beneficial."

He noted increasing damage from the spread of computer viruses, hacking, cyber terrorism and the leakage of personal information.

"In particular, spam mail sent under the guise of anonymity and the spread of falsehoods and inaccurate information are threatening even rationality and trust."

Lee asked the OECD to take the initiative in forging an international framework for Internet security and information protection.

He also noted that the system is still out of the reach of 80 percent of the world's people and pledged Korea's efforts to redress the situation.

"The Internet gap is bound to lead to a socio-economic cleavage between individuals and nations, and the gap will be ever-widening."

More than 2,500 IT experts and officials are discussing how the Internet can aid economic growth.

Kevin Martin, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, urged OECD members to spur deregulation of the IT sector to boost competition and hasten price cuts.

"A robust competitive marketplace, not regulation, is the best method of delivering the benefits of choice, innovation and affordability to consumers," he said in a speech.

A report released at the meeting showed South Korea ranked first in terms of household access to the Internet among OECD member nations, according to Yonhap news agency.

It said 94 percent of households had Internet access compared to an average 58 percent among the 31 OECD members.

South Korea was followed by Iceland and The Netherlands, with 84 percent and 83 percent.

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