{"id":2198948,"date":"2022-09-14T09:10:39","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T09:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/koreapro\/?p=2198948"},"modified":"2023-11-20T19:06:25","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T10:06:25","slug":"fast-internet-speeds-cant-save-south-koreas-terrible-websites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/09\/fast-internet-speeds-cant-save-south-koreas-terrible-websites\/","title":{"rendered":"Fast internet speeds can\u2019t save South Korea\u2019s terrible websites"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea may be famous for its <\/span>fast internet speeds<\/span><\/a> and high levels of <\/span>technological innovation<\/span><\/a>, but a visit to government and corporate websites suggests that, at least when it comes to online infrastructure, the country remains firmly stuck in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only do many of these websites look like they were designed decades ago, but many impose archaic security requirements unique to Korea that can be time-consuming to implement and even make use impossible, particularly for foreigners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even more worrisome, the security and web standards that Korean websites utilize deviate significantly from well-tested global norms and can pose additional risks to users.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this is a problem as foreign interest in South Korea and its culture continue to rise, projecting an image befitting the country\u2019s historical moniker of a Hermit Kingdom rather than that of a G20 nation. And if nothing much changes, it could very well hinder Seoul\u2019s ambitions to attract investment, immigrants and foreign tourists and position itself as a \u201cglobal pivotal state.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

FRICTION AT THE FIRST<\/b><\/p>\n

Beyond just <\/span>outdated design norms<\/span><\/a>, a range of issues plague South Korean websites and online services, especially relating to creating accounts, security certificates and general website security.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to creating accounts, most government websites, financial service providers and online retailers require new users to confirm their identity through a combination of official ID records, banking information and\/or cell phone provider information.<\/span><\/p>\n

Foreigners regularly encounter problems<\/span><\/a> when they have to verify their name against the national ID card database. New users often must try <\/span>multiple iterations<\/span><\/a> of their first, middle and last names in different orders to get a match, while dashes in names and spaces between names can also cause problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other cases, websites require users to link their account to a phone number or bank account that matches their migration records. This can lead to problems, such as in foreign business environments where one expat receives a company device or SIM card not in their name from another staffer. Even if the phone or bank account is in their name, it still must match the format in <\/span>HiKorea<\/span><\/a> immigration records.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While some platforms skip these verification steps, in many cases services are only in Korean, making use difficult for many foreigners residing in South Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The interface for I-Pin, an identity confirmation mechanism for foreigners in South Korea, | Image: I-Pin registration website<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

These problems are not just annoyances but can also prevent foreign residents and even visitors from using many important services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take the Korean Police\u2019s Lost and Found website. While it helpfully includes an <\/span>English-language website<\/span><\/a> for tourists and foreign residents, it is not possible to create a new account on that site.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mac or iOS users trying to report a missing item are also unable to register for an account on the Korean site due to compatibility issues. Instead, the website tells users that the Mac operating system will cause problems or to find a PC to report the missing items. This despite the fact that iOS and MacOS have an over 23% market share in South Korea <\/span>as of Aug. 2022<\/span><\/a>, according to traffic monitoring firm Statcounter.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The interface for I-Pin, an identity confirmation mechanism for foreigners in South Korea | Image: I-Pin registration website<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

SPECIAL SOFTWARE AND SECURITY RISKS<\/b><\/p>\n

Another common problem relates to the myriad security software packages that some government and business platforms require users to install.<\/span><\/p>\n

The South Korean government has mostly rid national infrastructure of the notorious <\/span>ActiveX protocol<\/span><\/a>, which it originally used to protect users from keylogging and related security threats back in the 1990s. But platforms have replaced this in the years since with a wide range of third-party security packages and browser extensions, including <\/span>Veraport<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>nProtect<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>IPinside<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Anysign4PC<\/span><\/a>, among many others.<\/span><\/p>\n

In some cases, the requirement to download software makes it more difficult to use online services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

KB Bank, one of South Korea\u2019s largest banks,\u00a0 requires users to download <\/span>TouchEn nxKey<\/span><\/a> software to interact with certain parts of its website. But MacOS warns users that it cannot open the software package because it is impossible to verify whether it contains malware.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The interface for I-Pin, an identity confirmation mechanism for foreigners in South Korea | Image: I-Pin registration website<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Yet while some Korean websites require special security software, others suffer from basic security issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, this author and users have reported in the past that when they visit the official government immigration website HiKorea using Chrome, the browser warns them that the website <\/span>might contain malware<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another common problem is that many government and corporate websites lack HTTPS certificates, which modern browsers will flag with security warnings. Such certificates help users send data securely to and from a browser to a server and cost little to pay for and implement, making their absence from many South Korean websites puzzling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, other government-linked websites still attempt to render outdated Adobe Flash sections on websites, even though the <\/span>software poses well-known security risks<\/span><\/a> and has <\/span>not been officially supported<\/span><\/a> since Dec. 31, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT\u2019S AT STAKE<\/b><\/p>\n

As more foreigners live in and visit South Korea and look to buy from online Korean retailers, it\u2019s becoming increasingly important for the country to revamp its web software standards, but improvements since the era of ActiveX have been glacial.<\/span><\/p>\n

The key problem with requiring users to install multiple security package packages is, paradoxically, that it creates new security concerns. Each installation <\/span>increases the attack surface<\/span><\/a> of a user\u2019s computer \u2014 often with code that is not tested to the same rigorous standards of Google or Microsoft products. Rushed code <\/span>found in some government applications<\/span><\/a> also increases the risk that personal information can leak or be hacked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From the government and financial services perspective, the longer it takes for users to create accounts and utilize services, the more work hours will be required to provide support to those unable to access basic online services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This author, for instance, has had to make multiple in-person bank visits to update login certificates over the years, requiring up to an hour each time. Likewise, this author has had to visit immigration and local administrative divisions to complete basic tasks that might easily be handled on a well-designed website.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that many services require registration with immigration authorities is also extremely problematic. A tourist who loses their passport and attempts to use the police lost and found website, for instance, would be unable to report a missing item.<\/span><\/p>\n

Foreigners arriving in the country for long-term stints also can\u2019t use the bulk of online services until their immigration status is confirmed on an Alien Registration Card. That process can take a month or more, making it unnecessarily complicated to set up a new life in South Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, burdensome account creation and payment systems will only <\/span>drive customers away<\/span><\/a> from Korean online retailers and to global alternatives like Amazon. That means not only lost sales at a time when interest in K-pop and Korean culture is expanding, but lost tax revenue for the government.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT COULD BE DONE<\/b><\/p>\n

South Korea\u2019s internet ecosystem is in need of a major overhaul if it\u2019s serious about its aspirations to be a \u201cglobal pivotal state.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The government, which contributed to the online messiness by making ActiveX mandatory <\/span>decades ago<\/span><\/a>, could arguably play a much greater role in cleaning things up. The steps it could take include:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n