Assembly Speaker Urges Creation of IT Control Tower

As reported in The Korea Times, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Kim Hyong-o has reiterated the need to set up a control tower for information and technology policies.  "Korea needs a control tower that can oversee and lead the entire IT industry," he said in a radio program.  He contended that the IT industry has been treated as a byproduct of other industries, following the disbandment of the Ministry of Information and Communication in early 2008.  "We are facing a revolutionary moment, with the advent of smartphones, including the iPhone," he said. "We must quickly realize our failure to respond to the rapid evolution of the IT industry."
In February 2008, shortly after taking office, the Lee Myung-bak administration divided MOIC into the Korea Communications Commission; the Ministry of Knowledge Economy; the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and the Ministry of Public Administration and Security. Certain functions of the information ministry were also taken over by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.