The Korean government’s use of cloud computing was introduced as an excellent example in a UN report. 

The Information Economy Report 2013, published on December 3 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), highlighted Korea’s National Total Operating Platform System, describing it “a standardized and automated government integrated data centre management system.” 

The national platform system has improved infrastructure investment efficiency, the computing environment and security systems, the report explained. It also said that the effective management of public information resources has reduced budgets and improved energy efficiency and countermeasure capability against cyber attacks. 

Two exemplary cases highlighted in the report included a dramatic budget reduction and strengthened cyber response system. The better procurement, shared resources and integrated development of common functions and services have lowered budgets for the purchase and operation of ICT resources by about 30 percent. In addition, with an automatic cyber response system that detects and blocks external attacks, the monthly average downtime for e-government system equipment has dramatically fallen from 67 minutes per unit in 2004 to 3.04 seconds in June 2013. 

The report portrayed the Korean government as a “leading exponent of network connectivity and data centre management,” giving three examples: the intranet separated from commercial networks K-net; the automatic management system nTOPs; and the comprehensive defense system e-ANSI. 

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Security and Public Administration said that they will actively support government use of the cloud by further promoting inter-governmental cooperation in the areas of e-government consultations and workforce exchanges.