Korean President calls for international cooperation to conquer digital divide
Speaking to the European Parliament on 11 December, President of the Republic of Korea, Kim dae Jung called for international cooperation in order to overcome the digital divide. Mr Kim commented that in the 21st century, even poor nations and individuals can create wealth on the basis of computer knowledge. He expressed concern however that 75 per cent of the benefits of this new technology are being enjoyed by advanced nations. The challenge now is to spread this knowledge to developing nations with a view to reducing the widening gap between rich and poor, he said. The President called for international cooperation to help tackle this inequality, and called on more advanced nations, including the EU Member States to take the lead. Mr Jung also welcomed European support for his proposal to construct a superspeed information network leading to a 'cyber silk road' linking Asia and Europe.