[kictanet] Korea

Thu Nov 10 09:41:45 EAT 2011

Edith,

Dr.Ndemo has put it very well. I also just came back from South Korea two weeks 
ago having spent one week's training organised by Korea Internet Security 
Agency. It was simply amazing to see how far they have gone. But I must confess 
that I was proud to share with them what we in Kenya are doing and they too were 
amazed and are keen on coming to see for themselves. Out of all the other 10 
representatives in the group from Africa, I was the only one who could use 
roaming facilities via Safaricom. Kudos to Safaricom! Those of you who know a 
bit about South Korea know that they use WCDMA technology. So all delegates from 
Africa could not call their countries apart from me!We have great potential 
here. We just need to act.I see no reason why with such visionary people like 
Dr.Ndemo we cannot catch up. However, it is all about Government's priorities at 
the end of the day.

Gilda

Quoting Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>:

> Bwana Ndemo,
> 
> Wow! what a transformation! how long has this journey taken? what were the
> key success factors?.
> 
> For sure, what we need in Kenya is this "feeling of shame"....that would be
> halfway to eradicating corruption!
> 
> Edith
> ________________
> Edith Ofwona Adera
> Senior Program Specialist
> Climate Change & Water Program
> International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le
> développement international
> Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
> Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera
> eadera at idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca
> ________________________________________
> From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of
> bitange at jambo.co.ke [bitange at jambo.co.ke]
> Sent: 08 November 2011 17:19
> To: Edith Adera
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Korea
> 
> I arrived in Korea yesterday for a Global e-Government conference.  ITU
> ranks Korea as number one in ICT diffusion.  From the airport you see
> people walk through with an e-passport using biometrics.  The New Incheon
> airport is 70 Kms west of Seoul, the capital and largest city of South
> Korea with some 11 million inhabitants. It is one of the largest and
> busiest airports in the world actually the world's fourth busiest airport
> by cargo traffic, and the world's eighth busiest airport in terms of
> international passengers in 2010.
> 
> Korea is about 99,000 sq Kms or one half of the Rift Valley Province of
> Kenya with a population of 50 million and a GDP of $1 trillion (Kenya's
> GDP is about $35 billion).  In the 60's it was largely a donor recipient
> country with a GDP less than that of Kenya and more than 60% of its
> population below poverty.  They have turned tables to be a member of the
> OECD and a donor country over a short period.
> 
> For many years it mostly depended on the USA as its largest trade partner
> but over a time they focused their energies on the Asian Markets.  Its
> trade with China, USA and Japan in 2010 figures stands at %190, $98 and
> $90 billion respectively.  They import a great deal of food and the reason
> why we should not lease our land but use it to improve on our economic
> growth.  A Kg of meat here is $100 imported from Canada and Brazil.
> 
> I asked our Ambassador why we cannot sell our meat here.  He says we do
> not meat their standards.  This should not be a problem since we have
> broadband in most parts of the country that we can keep pace with the rest
> of the world in keeping the records especially those required by various
> standrds organization.
> 
> Back to Korea.  ICTs are also deployed along the highways making it easier
> to go through the toll stations and collecting all the revenues.  You can
> get data from government at every hour.  You can for example know the
> number of children born in a day throughtout the country.  There is CCTV
> practically everywhere.  Crime is approaching zero.
> 
> There is an over supply of affordable public transport via the rail and
> bus system all clean and on time.  If you choose to drive on your own, you
> are taxed at every new turn you make.  The tax from the polluters who
> cannot use public transport is used to subsidize the energy efficient
> public tranportation.
> 
> Every child after high school has to go through the Military thus
> instilling the discipline required in this competitive world.  Because of
> such discipline, they do everything very fast.  We were literaly running
> behind our hosts to catch up with them.  In the Newspapers there is a Bank
> executive who has committed suicide because he gave questionable loans to
> friends.  He killed himself for shaming his family and that he may not
> have any friends.
> 
> My experience here confirms much of what we have been saying in this
> forum.  The problem is how to inculcate such high levels of ethical
> standards as well as feeling of shame.
> 
> 
> Regards
> 
> 
> Ndemo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for
> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation.
> The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support
> of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
> 
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online
> that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share
> knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam,
> do not market your wares or qualifications.
> 

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