Tops the list in 4 of 6 dimensions, ranks 2nd in overall score in 2 dimensions with significant increase in scores by dimension

Tops Digital Government Index after ranking first on 2023 OECD OURdata Index

□ The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (LEE Sang-min, Minister) announced that the Korean government has topped the 2023 Digital Government Index, surveyed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), for the second consecutive time. 

 ○ The Digital Government Index was first surveyed by the OECD in 2019 to measure the level of digital transformation of the governments and public sectors of its member countries. The latest results were released four years later, similar to the Olympics or the World Cup.

 ○ After topping the 2019 Digital Government Index, Korea topped it again in 2023.

□ In the 2023 Digital Government Index, the OECD assessed 33 member countries and 5 non-member countries* along six dimensions. 

    * 33 of 38 OECD member countries + 5 non-member countries (Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Croatia, Romania) 

□ Korea’s performance when it comes to digital government far outpaced other nations in the assessment. It was followed by Denmark (No. 2) and the United Kingdom (No. 3).  

 ○ Korea topped the list with an overall composite score of 0.935 (on a 1-point scale), representing a jump of 0.193 over its 2019 score of 0.742. 

 ○ Compared to the score gap in the first assessment of 0.006 between Korea (No. 1, 0.742) and the UK (No. 2, 0.736), Korea (No. 1, 0.935) topped the list this time with a score gap of 0.124 with Denmark (No. 2, 0.811), which is more than 20 times larger than the previous gap.      

□ Significant changes were observed in the assessment results, with 40% of the top 10 performers from the 2019 assessment, or 6 countries, making it to the top 10 for the 2023 assessment. Nevertheless, Korea topped the list for two consecutive times, this time even with a wider gap.  

 ○ In 2019, two Asian countries - Korea (No. 1) and Japan (No.5) - made it to the top-10 list, but Korea was alone in 2023. 

 * 2019 Top 10 Performers: Korea, United Kingdom, Colombia, Denmark, Japan, Canada, Spain, Israel, Portugal, France  

 * 2023 Top 10 Performers: Korea, Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Estonia, Colombia, Ireland, France, Canada

□ The six dimensions are: ① Digital by design, ② Data-driven public sector, ③ Government as a platform, ④ Open by default, ⑤User-driven, ⑥ Proactiveness.  

 ○ The results show Korea topping the list in 4 of the 6 dimensions: △ Data-driven public sector △ Government as a platform △ Open by default △ Proactiveness. It came in second for the remaining dimensions – Digital by design and User-driven. 

□ Compared to the first-ever assessment in 2019, the scores for Korea jumped significantly overall. While in 2019, its lowest score by dimension was ranked 12th, in the 2023 assessment, Korea ranked 1st in 4 dimensions and 2nd in 2 dimensions.

□ The 2023 assessment by six dimensions are as follows:

□ ‘Data-driven public sector’ measures how the use of data across public policies create new values. Korea was the top performer, receiving the full score of 1, while the OECD average stood at 0.633. 

 ○ Korea’s score in this dimension jumped 47% from 0.68 (No. 3) in 2019 to the full score of 1 (No. 1) in 2023.

 ○ During this time period, Korea passed the Act on Promotion of Data-based Administration, aimed at laying the foundation for administrative and public institutions to jointly utilize and analyze the data they have (data request and coordination process, responsible personnel for data-based administration, installation of data analysis center, etc.) and to establish a system of planning and evaluation to facilitate the use of data. 

 ○ In addition, building an “Integrated Data Management Platform,” where administrative institutions register their own data and request data from other institutions whenever needed-thereby establishing the platform for evidence-based decision making-must have been a factor in the positive assessment.

□ “Government as a platform” measures the transparent deployment of standards and data by the government so that demand-centered integrated and related services can be easily developed and walls across the public sector eradicated to enable the development of demand-centric services. Korea received 0.913, while the OECD average score stood at 0.615.

 ○ In July 2022, the YOON Suk-yeol administration launched the Presidential Committee on the Digital Platform Government and identified “Digital Platform Government” as a major state target, providing a more detailed role of the government as a platform.  

 ○ Well-received as examples of the strengthening of the government’s role as platform were “Open Digital Services” that enable the private sector to take advantage of converged public services that had only been accessed via public application and website, as well as “Private Software as a Service (SaaS),” which enhances efficiency through application of private cloud company technology to the software used by administrative and public institutions. 

□  The “Open by default” dimension measures the openness of the government’s information, data and procedures. Korea received 0.882, with the OECD average score being 0.525.  

 ○ “National Hub Data” has been acknowledged as outstanding as a data set allowing the public sector to create added value from public data, as was “Authenticating Service,” which enables users to see whether information is authentic or not, even if it is not disclosed.  

 ○  On top of continuously identifying and opening high-value data, the Korean government also provides services that can be offered jointly as public data such as transportation services near homes and tailored start-up assisting services for small business owners.

□ “Proactiveness” assesses the governments’ capacity to anticipate the needs of the public so as to facilitate the delivery of the right government services. Korea received 0.934, while the OECD average was 0.567.     

 ○  Korea’s score in the “Proactiveness” rose significantly, jumping a dramatic 86% from 0.5 (No. 12) in 2019 to 0.934 (No. 1) in 2023 and climbing up more than 10 places on the list.

 ○ Also pointed out as outstanding was the “Virtual Assistant Service for the Public (Guppi) AI Chatbot,” which enables users to use Q&A and consulting services and provides easy access to essential administrative information on health, transportation, taxes, etc., through linkage with a public mobile app.  

 ○  As of 2023, the number of subscribers to the Virtual Assistant Service for the Public hovered around 16.26 million, and it is now in a position to be the representative administrative service with 1 of every 3 citizens using it.   

□  The “Digital design” dimension measures efforts to adopt digital technology from the launch of new public policies and services. Korea scored 0.971, while the OECD average stood at 0.684.

 ○  Korea’s “My Public Data,” where users can submit required documents in one go-rather than separately-along with their consent to the public sector’s use of personal information, was also considered outstanding.

 ○ “Public My Data,” which began as a pilot program in 2021, now provides personal administrative information in 160 categories, including issuance of resident registration cards and tax payment certificates, for a total of 140 services ranging from loans to registering for the electricity bill welfare discount.

□  The “User-driven” dimension assesses governments’ capacity to guarantee engagement of the public (users) in policy making and service design. Korea received a score of 0.909, while the OECD average was 0.607. 

 ○ Korea’s score for the “User-driven” dimension jumped 35% from 0.67 (No. 4) in 2019 to 0.909 (No. 2) in 2023. 

 ○  Pointed to as outstanding were the “Participatory Public Service Design Group,”’ which involves the public in the overhauling of service delivery procedures, and the “Public Idea Box.”

□ The Ministry of the Interior and Safety realizes it cannot be complacent about these latest assessment results and is committed to continuing to exert its full efforts to building a “Digital Platform Government” that aims to address social issues with the cooperation of its citizens, corporations and government agencies to create new values.

 ○  By “phasing out required public documents,” the Ministry aims to initiate “Digital by Design” through the use of digital technology for all government services. It also will utilize new technology like “Hyperscale AI” to bolster the use of data in making administrative decisions and to roll out tailored services for individuals.  

 ○ Moreover, it will continue to strengthen its own role as a platform for growth where both public and private sector join hands through services like “Digital Service Open” and “Shift to Private-based Cloud Native.”  

     * Cloud Native: A more agile and flexible method than the original method-in terms of resource management-where a variety of services can be included that are provided by the private sector, instead of having to change the entire structure to introduce new services.  

 ○ This is expected to contribute significantly to helping digital government-related companies go global.   

□ Meanwhile, Korea topped the Open Data Assessment*  in 2023 (announced in December), representing the fourth consecutive time it has done so, following identical showings in 2015, 2017, and 2019. 

* The OECD carries out open data assessment on member countries, in accordance with based on the International Open Data Charter. 

□ According to Minister of the Interior and Safety LEE Sang-min, “Korea was able to top the Digital Government Index again, after also ranking first in the Open Data Assessment announced by the OECD last December, thanks to the efforts exerted by the public, government and corporations.” He added, “The ministry will continue to build a digital platform government that provides service convenience and stability in its globally acknowledged role as a digital government leader.”