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Firstly, timely planning and strong implementation by the government. Thanks to
the government's initiatives in education and information technology infrastructure,
approximately 94% of the South Korean population has access to broadband internet.
Timely planning and strong implementation of internet policies created a perfect start,
and these policies continue to be effectively implemented.
Secondly, creating a healthy competitive environment is crucial. South Korea has
maintained a healthy competitive environment, encouraging innovation. Alongside
establishing a public sector internet network, the government supports private sector
investment through consistent regulatory policies, reducing barriers to entry for new
internet service providers and fostering a competitive environment.
Thirdly, South Korea has a high urban population density. With a high urban
population density of 83%, concentrated in urban apartment buildings, it is advantageous
for deploying a widespread high-speed internet network. Therefore, building broadband
fiber optic infrastructure becomes easier and significantly reduces costs, while minimizing
internet transmission performance losses.
Fourthly, strong growth in the private sector. Contributing to the successful
adoption of the Internet in South Korea is the close collaboration between the
government-backed private sector and the public sector in building Internet
infrastructure. The South Korean private sector conducts extensive research into
advanced technologies. Samsung is one of the key companies behind the development of
5G networks.
Fifthly, South Korea possesses unique cultural characteristics. Korean culture has
contributed to the development of a world-leading internet. Korean culture emphasizes
the importance of ethics and perseverance; once a goal is set for technological
development, Koreans do not back down. South Korea prioritizes connecting education
with the internet, viewing it as a useful way to develop critical thinking in the 21st century.
The third achievement is the development of e-commerce. Thanks to the successful
internet penetration policy, South Korea's e-commerce has experienced explosive growth.
E-commerce is strongly adopted in South Korea, accounting for over 42% of all retail
transactions. Due to the surge in online shopping demand after COVID-19, platforms like
Coupang, Naver, and Kakao have grown significantly, making South Korea the 5th largest
e-commerce market in the world. It is projected that the e-commerce share will increase
to approximately 46% (2027) thanks to high internet penetration and a growing number
of consumers shopping online. E-commerce has become a very important part of South
Korea's trade activities, far surpassing many other countries in the region.
Online shopping websites in South Korea account for 42% of the country's total
retail sales and are showing signs of increasing. Of online shoppers, around 70% make
transactions via computers, over 25% via smartphones and about 2% via tablets.
Approximately 34% of South Koreans use online payment gateways and 29% use bank
transfers. By 2025, South Korean e-commerce is projected to reach a record high with
total online transaction value exceeding 270 trillion won, including mobile shopping
surpassing 200 trillion won for the first time. South Korea is currently among the fastest-
growing e-commerce markets in the world.
The fourth achievement is a strong and rapid development of the creative industry.
South Korea is one of the world's leading creative nations thanks to its development
strategy based on innovation and technology. According to the Global Innovation Index
(GII) 2025 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), South Korea

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