Journal of the Korean Geographical Society (대한지리학회지)

The Korean Geographical Society (대한지리학회)
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Can Information Technology Revive Rural Economies?: The Cases of E-villages in Korea and Japan

정보통신기술과 농촌 경제: 한국과 일본 정보화마을의 사례 연구

  • Huh, Woo-Kung (Department of Geography, Seoul National University)
  • 허우긍 (서울대학교 사회과학대학 지리학과)
  • Published : 2008.12.31
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Abstract

There has been a high expectation that information technology (IT) can do something good for the rural perils. Efforts thus have been made in many countries to 'informatize' rural areas, namely to roll out IT infrastructure into remote areas and to enhance the computer literacy of rural residents. The present study examines the 'e-village' projects implemented in Korea and Japan. It evaluates the business models employed by the e-villages such as e-shops of local products and tour guide programs, the ways in which rural residents have managed their business models, the practices of information exchange within and outside of the villages, and the monetary gains of the business models. The study collects data mainly from the e-village web pages of both countries. The study reveals that the e-village business models have performed less than expected in general, and that Japanese e-villages are better off than the Korean counterparts. The study identifies the factors responsible for such mediocre performances of the business models including a lack of retail business experiences and capabilities of the rural people. The study findings highlight the importance of human resources, rather than the new technology per se, for rural development.

농촌의 부흥을 위하여 정보통신기술에 거는 기대가 크고, 정보화 사업이 도처에서 이루어지고 있다. 그러나 정보통신기술의 보급만으로는 농촌의 경제가 활성화되기 어렵다는 시각도 있다. 이 논문은 농촌의 정보화사업에 대한 이런 쟁점을 가리는데 목적을 두었다. 한국의 정보화 마을과 일본의 무라(촌(村))를 대상으로, 해당 마을의 홈페이지에서는 어떤 수익모델들을 채택하고 있으며 정보통신기술은 어떻게 활용하고 있는지, 고객들은 얼마나 자주 이용하고 있는지, 또 수익은 얼마나 창출되었는지를 비교 분석하였다. 분석결과, 수익모델의 활용과 성과가 전반적으로 기대에 못 미쳤으며, 한국보다는 일본 사례에서 그 성과가 다소 나은 것으로 밝혀졌다. 수익모델의 활용과 성과가 이처럼 미흡한 것은 운영자들의 경험 부족과 농촌 인력의 한계 등과 관련이 있는 것으로 보인다. 이 연구결과는 농어촌의 정보화에 정보통신기술의 보급 못지 않게 인적 자원도 중요함을 부각시켰다.

Keywords

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