Strategies for Bridging the Digital Divide in Education between South and North Korea after Unification

Abstract

The paper explores ways of bridging the digital divide between the

two Koreas and applying ICT to educational development that will be

mutually beneficial to North and South Korea on the way towards and

after unification.

It compares thinking and developments on both sides of the peace

line and identifies the different priorities and programs that are

currently under way. It shows that North Korea has a great interest

in training professionals in the field of digital education but because of

its economic conditions. North Korea is selectively training an elite

core of ICT specialists to work in a few elite institutions and is still

at the embryonic stage of development. By contrast, South Korea's

educational development and e-transformation is at the proliferation

stage. These differences are seen as constraining educational and

economic development when unification becomes a reality.

The study suggests that there should be a collaborative approach

to addressing these issues and that this should be embarked on as soon as possible. It argues that this should be needs-based and built upon

mutual understanding. It also envisages that there will be a need for a

cross-sector approach, legal, regulatory and policy changes, expanded

access to ICT, enhanced capacity to utilize ICT and professional

development and it suggests how these might be achieved within a

framework of peaceful coexistence and cooperation in education.