Electronic signature and its challenges : the case of Korea as the IT hub in Asia | |
| Author | Choi, Sung Joon |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.SM-06-02 |
| Subject(s) | Electronic commerce--Korea Digital signatures--Korea |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration, School of Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Research studies project report ; no. SM-06-02 |
| Abstract | The contribution of IT industry in the economic growth of Korea so far is tremendous and IT sector has emerged as the single most important engine of economic growth in Korea. Korea hopes that IT industry would provide another momentum as an economic growth engine to raise its per capita income over USD 20,000. Having a firm belief that promoting e-business would steer not only IT industry but also the overall economy to prosperity, Ministry of Information and Communication established national public key infrastructure and strongly encouraged practical use of electronic signature which is a well suited solution to secure trustworthiness in e-business. This research study will review the current status of the electronic signature and public key infrastructure (PKI) in Korea in terms of legal framework, PKI implementation scheme and application areas of electronic signature. This study will also identify and discuss about issues related to the electronic signature and PKI in Korea. This study will be mainly focused on policy-related aspects rather than technical aspects. Data was collected by in-depth interviews with key persons working in PKI related areas in Korea and was gathered from secondary sources such as government documents and reports, journals and articles from the Internet. According to the result of the study, PKI experts agree that PKI in Korea has been very successful until now because of the widely expanded application areas and remarkable number of users, although there are some problems to be solved. It is quite amazing because PKI in all the other countries other than Korea has not been successful so far as argued by Lopez et al. (2005). Korea has done quite well to promote practical use of electronic signature, to expand its application areas, to secure intra-domain and inter-domain interoperability of PKI, and to enhance security of electronic signature. However, Korea seems now facing critical challenge which threats sustainable prosperity of not only the electronic certificate market but also the national PKI system itself; unfair competition environment of the electronic certificate market. Korea just made a step forward to correct this abnormally twisted electronic certificate market structure in 2005; amendment of Electronic Signature Act. It is recommended that Korean government should take this opportunity very seriously and have to do its best to solve the problems and also should think about the future challenges of PKI and to prepare for other issues which are not yet come to the front |
| Year | 2006 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Research studies project report ; no. SM-06-02 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Management |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Publication code=SM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Tang, John C.S.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Jie, Tae-Hong;Dimmitt, Nicholas J.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Minishy of Government Administi·ation of Home Affairs, Korea; |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M.B.A.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2006 |