Korea Ranked 23rd in the World for Computer Intelligence

According to a survey ranking countries for their inhabitants' technological ability, Korea's computer competence index level is ranked 23rd in the world and its Internet intelligence 27th. The list was compiled from data collected in late 1997.
According to the almanac published by the National Computerization Agency (NCA) Friday Korea has been in 23rd place for three consecutive years.
The United States and Finland have shared first and second positions for two consecutive years, followed by Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada and Singapore.
In Asia, Singapore, Japan (13th), Hong Kong (14th) and Taiwan (21st) all surpassed Korea.
The report said that although Korea's computer competence has increased by up to 38 percent in its annual average from 1990 to 1997, the gap between it and other major countries is still too great at the moment.
There are only 400 Internet shopping malls and electronic markets in Korea, while the U.S. has 4.5 million and Japan 7,000.
However, 4.3 million Internet users make up 10 percent of the Korean populace and this number is expected to rise to 16 million by 2003, it added.
Bong Hwa-shik:trojans@joongang.co.kr