The rapid evolution of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) is propelling us into the era of data economy, highlighting the urgent need for governments to establish robust national-level data industry ecosystems.
This report, a part of The World Bank's Korea Office Innovation and Technology Note Series, delves into The Republic of Korea’s data voucher program, a shining example of success in shaping such an ecosystem, examining the current state of the country’s data industry and the policy landscape that influences the program.
The success of this initiative in Korea was bolstered by existing technological, legal, and institutional infrastructure developed since the 2010s, including high-quality data provision and robust big data and AI processing capabilities. This underscores the importance of technical infrastructure, accessibility, and institutional frameworks related to data openness and utilization as prerequisites for effective data voucher projects. Korea’s persistent policy efforts in this regard have been pivotal in the program’s achievements.