South Korea’s ‘grey digital divide’ leaves seniors pleading for help
South Korea is facing a significant 'grey digital divide' as elderly citizens struggle to navigate a society increasingly reliant on smartphone apps and kiosks. Government initiatives are underway to improve digital literacy, as the gap leaves seniors vulnerable to social exclusion and scams.
Why it matters
Highlights the social challenges of rapid technological adoption in aging populations, a growing concern for developed nations.
A little cheer rose for 79-year-old Hwang Sun-hee after she managed to place an online order at a training session in South Korea, which has one of the world’s starkest digital divides for seniors.
Age gaps in digital literacy are a global concern, yet the gulf has widened massively in the hyper-connected and fast-ageing country, prompting national campaigns to bridge it.
“You can’t do anything without smartphone apps or a kiosk machine ... It’s too much for old folks,” Hwang said at a senior community centre in Suwon, south of Seoul, during government-organised digital survival training.
The so-called grey digital divide has provided some striking examples in the nation of about 52 million, home to world-leading smartphone and memory chipmakers.
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