The headline of a "Reporter's Column" that appeared yesterday in The Korea Herald reveals an attitude that may be widely held in Korea. The column is titled "Small fine for small Google," in reference to the relatively small share of South Korea's internet search market held by Google. Note that the market leader, Naver, is technically not an "internet search" engine to the extent that it only displays Korean language results and makes no pretense of searching the global, multi-lingual internet (WWW).
I don't want to be too hard on the reporter or editor who did, after all, come up with a catchy title. However, readers of this blog will understand my long concern with Google's failure to achieve a significant market share in Korea (although that situation is in flux, with the continued growth of mobile versus fixed internet search. (those interested in prior posts on this topic can read them here)
The view expressed in The Korea Herald column, and by those who share this opinion, exemplifies a limited perspective on the challenge Korea, with its export-based economy and increasing global involvement, faces in the hyperconnected era of digital networks.
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