It's become something of a standard for technology writers and observers to look to South Korea, generally accepted to be ahead of the pack in terms of internet penetration and use. Super-fast connections, dense population centres, technological prowess and high levels of technological communication have helped push the country ahead of its peers in recent times.
But this picture might not be entirely accurate any more, according to a new study. AP summarises the results:
When pollsters for Ipsos Insight recently asked 6,500 people in 12 countries whether they had used the Internet in the past month, 68 percent of South Koreans said yes. That ranked No. 4, behind Japan (89 percent), Canada (72 percent) and the United States (71 percent).
The study also suggests that Chinese and Japanese users spend more time on the net than their South Korean counterparts. Now this doesn't automatically mean South Korea's less advanced than we thought... but does it mean the tides are turning? Is Japan once again the leader in internet and communications?
