Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea

The Most Digitally Savvy Administration in the World

“In a way Gangnam invented e-government,” claims Indrajit Basu, as she discusses Gangnam District’s recent receipt of the Intelligent Community Forum’s Intelligent Community of the Year award for 2008.  Basu has a compelling case. Launching its e-government project in 1995 to improve its local economy and the lives of its citizens, Gangnam has consistently demonstrated its commitment to transforming itself into a broadband community.  As a result, the district has not only become one of the most digitally active across the globe, but more importantly, its digital activity has also had a profoundly positive impact on its local economy and residents.

e-Government Programs

One of Gangnam District’s most noteworthy projects, TV e-Government, was launched in 2006 to deliver services and information directly to citizens’ homes via television.  These 34 categories of e-government television “programs” include paying taxes, receiving civil defense training, and issuance of civil documents. Additional innovative e-government applications recently introduced include the Social Safety Network System intended to prevent deaths of solitary elderly residents and the U-Safe Service intended to meet the emergency needs of higher-risk residents.

Results

The Gangnam District is an international leader in the publication of qualitative and quantitative program results. According to Kyung-Ah Lee, three services—the Internet Civil Documents Issuing System, the Automated Civil Documents Issuing System, and the Internet Tax Payment System—have allowed every one of the district’s 557,000 residents to save considerable “time, money, and effort” as well as improve his or her life.  More specifically, the district estimates that its residents have accrued approximately $27.5 million annually in savings in opportunity costs from not having to visit government offices or banks as well as approximately $200 million in private education collectively by using a specific electronic application for college admissions exams. The Gangnam District Office has also reduced its number of employees from 2,041 to 1,307 over the last 13 years, saving $36.7 million annually. At the same time, citizen satisfaction with government services has increased from 75% in 2000 to 92% in 2004. By outsourcing the construction of the network infrastructure and its myriad services to private IT firms, Gangnam District was able to pump $54 million into the local economy. It is this entrepreneurial spirit that helps illustrate why the district is responsible for 25% of the capital’s gross domestic product while only housing 2.5% of Seoul’s total population.

Many of the e-government applications developed by the district have been adopted by the central government while its online systems and kiosks (Gangnam’s original e-government effort in 1995) have been replicated in almost every municipality in South Korea. While Gangnam’s accomplishments are commendable, its impact on the whole of Korea should be equally significant.

What’s Next for Gangnam District?

Gangnam District will no doubt continue to blaze the international trail into the 21st century. Focusing on its Ubiquitous (U-City) concept, the district is building a new roadmap for technology in administrative services that will touch every aspect of residents’ lives to “increase their well being and happiness.”

 

  1. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758   Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008.
  2. Details regarding the history of Gangnam District’s project can be found at the Intelligent Community Forum’s website, available via http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=ICF_Awards_2008&category=Events
  3. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758 Accessed 7-10-2008 Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008;
    Intelligent Community Forum. http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=ICF_Awards_2008&category=Events
    Accessed 7-10-2008.
  4. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758   Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008.
  5. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758   Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008.
  6. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758   Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008.
  7. Indrajit Basu. “Gangnam District, South Korea Sets International Digital Example.” Govtech.com. http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/369758   Published 6-9-2008. Accessed 7-10-2008.