Lessons from Digital Switchover in South Korea

Abstract

In this article, I discuss the lessons from South Korea’s digital switchover, considering its development in the process and the remaining challenges. South Korea completed the digital switchover on December 31, 2012, but the analogue cable conversion to digital cable has not yet been completed for some ten million households. Furthermore, a mere 2.6% of all households eligible for government support benefitted from the support scheme. Although Korea embarked on its journey toward digital television relatively early, its progress has been slow and the outcome was only a partial success. I examine the national politics leading up to pilot programs for eliminating analogue television signals in two phases: Wuljin, Kangjin, and Danyang during September and November 2010, followed by Jeju in June 2011. Based on these experiences and the diagnosis of the current situation after the switchover, I conclude that South Korea’s digital switchover is a partial success and there is continued need for a centralized hub collaborating between the government, the broadcasters, and the television manufacturers to communicate more effectively and to increase public awareness to overcome the remaining challenges.