{"id":2204863,"date":"2024-04-26T15:26:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T06:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2204863"},"modified":"2024-04-26T16:10:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T07:10:10","slug":"elderly-south-koreans-face-digital-isolation-as-government-slashes-tech-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/04\/elderly-south-koreans-face-digital-isolation-as-government-slashes-tech-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Elderly South Koreans face digital isolation as government slashes tech budget"},"content":{"rendered":"
The South Korean government\u2019s decision to <\/span>cut<\/span><\/a> its digital budget by 52% compared to the previous year has raised concerns about the widening digital divide and its impact on the elderly population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This budget reduction poses severe risks, such as increased digital polarization, lower accessibility to essential services and vulnerability to scams and malicious applications for the aging population, particularly those living in rural areas.<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>Statistics Korea<\/span><\/a>, the population aged 65 or older in South Korea will exceed 10 million this year. The budget cut significantly <\/span>impacts<\/span><\/a> the operation of digital learning centers, which provide digital education to senior citizens. These centers heavily rely on government funding to support their operations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI definitely feel the impact of the budget cut. Unlike last year, I see no classes opening in the centers,\u201d Chun Ah Lee, a digital literacy instructor, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cI am most concerned about senior citizens living in rural areas. They are the most isolated, and they will receive the least support in digital literacy education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As the need for digital literacy skills increases, the elderly population faces challenges in adapting to digital devices. A <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> from the Ministry of Health and Welfare revealed that 64% of the population above 65 experienced discomfort or more due to digital transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n