In South Korea, telecommunications services improved dramatically in the 1980s with the assistance of foreign partners and as a result of the development of the electronics industry.
There are three mobile phone service providers: SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.
The government was active in promoting privatization and deregulation in general, and the information technology (IT) sector was no exception.
Since the mid-1990s, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has pursued a policy of high-speed telecommunication infrastructure as a foundation to build a “knowledge-based society.” In the telecommunications sector, competition was allowed on an incremental basis and, in the market for value added services, full competition was allowed.
During the economic reforms being implemented after the financial crisis, the information technology (IT) sector was one of several that was targeted and considered to be an important factor in the recovery of the nation's economy.
Commensurate with its investment funding, the government implemented various policies designed to increase internet use among the general population.
The government provided “internet literacy” lessons to homemakers, the elderly, military personnel, and farmers.
At end of June 2011, subscribers of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service achieve 10.1 million or around 20 percent of South Korea's population.