2024.07.22. The Fair Economy — The Ministry of Science and ICT said it will recruit 5,000 participants from the 22nd through Aug. 29 for a pilot program offering digital vouchers to basic livelihood recipients (subsistence or medical benefits) who already receive discounts on their communication bills.
The voucher pilot program is a project that provides vouchers to vulnerable groups so that they can use basic digital services, with the aim of bridging the digital divide and enhancing digital access. It is being promoted to examine the feasibility of introducing such a program.
The pilot program was designed based on the opinion that the existing telecommunications welfare policies, such as telecommunications fee discounts established in the voice-centered telecommunications environment of the past, need to expand and shift their paradigm to digital inclusion and welfare policies that guarantee access to various digital services, including digital devices, online platform-based services, and content, in line with the digital age.
In particular, as digital technology has become not merely a means to enhance user convenience but an indispensable foundation for daily life, the need for digital inclusion policies to bridge the digital divide and enhance digital access for vulnerable groups is growing.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Science and ICT has been discussing institutional reform measures with telecommunications companies, academia, and research institutions, and as part of these efforts, it has decided to conduct a pilot program to examine the feasibility of introducing a voucher system.
The voucher pilot will recruit participants from among basic livelihood recipients (subsistence or medical benefits) who currently receive communication bill discounts and will run for three months from September through November.
Participants will convert their existing mobile bill discount (up to 26,000 won per month) into a voucher paid as a lump sum of 85,800 won (for three months). The voucher can be used freely for communication bills, device installment payments, carrier value-added services and partner products, and digital services such as online video streaming, music and books.
In addition, to ensure a digital service environment, the ministry has agreed with telecom carriers (SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus) to provide each pilot participant with a free data coupon totaling 15GB.
Pilot participants can receive and use the digital voucher through a Korea Post check card (BC Card). Details, including participation conditions and operation methods, can be found on the voucher website (www.digital-v.kr).
The ministry plans to comprehensively analyze the program's effectiveness, anticipated issues and other factors while operating the pilot to assess the feasibility of introducing vouchers.
Lee Do-gyu, Director General for Telecommunications Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "As the existing voice-call-centered telecommunications environment shifts to a data-centered digital environment, it is time to discuss welfare policies suitable for the digital age to bridge the digital divide." He added, "We will analyze the results of this pilot program and review whether to introduce a voucher system, including the creation of a new program and expansion of participants."
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