[Ministry of Science and ICT Work Plan] Accelerating the Digital New Deal by Promoting Data Supply and Utilization

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The government is accelerating the Digital New Deal, promoted as a post-COVID-19 measure, by facilitating the supply, distribution, and utilization of data. It plans to expand the "Data Dam" by activating the use of diverse data and intensify the expansion of the 5G mobile communication network, known as the "Data Highway." Furthermore, it will actively embark on the development of core technologies for the next-generation network, 6G.

On the 20th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced its 2021 work plan containing these details. First, it will activate the use of various data to expand the "Data Dam," a flagship project of the Digital New Deal. The "Data Dam" project is one of the ten major tasks of the Korean New Deal, aiming to accelerate the data economy by strengthening data collection, processing, trading, and utilization infrastructure across industrial sectors, and to spread the convergence of 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) throughout all industries via the 5G network.

To this end, the Ministry of Science and ICT will actively supply data through 16 big data platforms and 180 centers, and additionally build 150 types of AI training data. It will also support joint development of innovative services by cloud infrastructure and service companies and provide cloud usage vouchers to small and medium-sized enterprises. The diverse data supplied in this way will promote distribution and utilization by enhancing platform trading functions and linking various platforms.

Moreover, it plans to secure leading technologies for digital transformation, such as next-generation AI technology and PIM (Processing In Memory) semiconductor development. Next-generation AI technology enables transfer learning with small amounts of data and easy application to other fields, while PIM semiconductors are a new concept semiconductor integrating storage and computing functions, suitable for complex and massive AI computations. To support this, it will back the demonstration of domestically produced AI semiconductors at public and private data centers and expand the System Semiconductor Convergence Talent Training Center.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will build a dense 5G network that citizens can use without inconvenience to expand the "Data Highway" and will also begin developing next-generation networks such as 6G. The government plans to extend the 5G network to major administrative districts in 85 cities nationwide and subway, KTX, and SRT stations. It will increase tax credits for 5G investments to ease the investment burden on the private sector and expand quality evaluation areas to induce quality competition among telecom companies. Additionally, it will improve the system to allow general companies, not just telecom operators, to participate in building 5G specialized networks limited to specific areas, thereby encouraging competition in specialized services.

Alongside this, to secure leadership in 6G in the future, it will start developing core technologies and actively promote international cooperation for standard and patent preemption, as well as domestic production of key components and equipment. It also announced plans to secure future technological competitiveness through technology development in quantum cryptography communication, quantum sensors, and legislative improvements to foster quantum information communication.

To accelerate the Digital New Deal, governance will be established and legislation prepared. The 4th Industrial Revolution Committee will be reorganized and launched as a data control tower to coordinate cross-government public-private data policies and projects and serve as a hub for public-private cooperation. The government plans to enact three digital transformation laws?the Data Basic Act, the Digital Jiphyeonjeon Act, and the Digital Inclusion Act?as well as the Non-face-to-face Industry Growth Act.