Yoon calls for improving public services through 'digital platform government'

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol called Friday for improving public services through the establishment of a "digital platform government" that connects data across the private and public sectors.

Yoon issued the call while launching the Presidential Committee of Digital Platform Government, which will be responsible for coming up with an overall strategy for the digital platform government and evaluating policies and projects under each category, including AI, infrastructure and services.

The panel will be made up of around 30 members from the government and the private sector, with Koh Jean, co-chief of the Korea Metaverse Industry Association, serving as its chief.

"A digital platform government can bring groundbreaking improvements to public services and change irrational practices, regulations and systems," Yoon said as he presided over the committee's launch ceremony at the presidential office.

"Through big data and AI technology, there will be large changes to the way the government works," he continued. "Under a digital platform government, public services, welfare, the budget and all areas will be disclosed to the people in a transparent manner, and there will be no place for interagency partitions or unfair public services."

Yoon called on the newly appointed committee members to think of the digital platform government as a national strategic industry, likening it to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy's ambitious push to land a man on the Moon.

"I don't know yet how far this will change our society or our government, and what value it will create for South Korean society and the world as a strategic industry, but if all of you work hard as if you are working on a Moon project, I am confident we will see revolutionary change," he said.

hague@yna.co.kr
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