Advanced cities have helped to solve various urban issues and make life more convenient and efficient for citizens. For example, kiosks, which are being actively introduced everywhere in smart cities, showed many advantages, such as reducing labor costs, shortening time, and strengthening non-face-to-face responses to infectious diseases. However, the question remains as to who the convenience and efficiency enhancement are intended for. This is because the development of technology that we thought was necessary for everyone was making some people feel alienated.
Representative examples include the visually impaired who have difficulty touching the screen, the elderly who have difficulty distinguishing between screens, and wheelchair users and children who cannot use the screen due to its high screen. Considering even those who consider themselves digital illiterate because they are not familiar with the digital environment, there is even a sense of skepticism as to whether a smart city focused on cutting-edge and digital technologies is a sustainable city in the future.
But still, smart cities are one of the best solutions to making our cities a better place. It is time for a change in the philosophy and core values we have brought about smart cities so far. Rather than blindly following cutting-edge technology, it is necessary to actively utilize the flow of technological development and make it possible for the digitally underprivileged to enjoy a convenient life through an 'inclusive smart city' that advances together with members of society.
The concept of an inclusive smart city that first appeared abroad was being implemented in major countries such as Finland, the United States, and Spain. For example, in The Hague, the Netherlands, youth care and digital health care services were planned and implemented from the smart city design stage. It is cited as an example.
There is also a related case in Korea. Last year, the city of Busan announced a smart city plan with a 'barrier-free transportation service' that guarantees convenient mobility. This represents the shape of a smart city that we must create in the future. Through barrier-free navigation, station, and ride-sharing platform services, the visually impaired and visually impaired can receive directions, and various services such as free carpooling, demand-response transportation, and taxi ride are available at stops equipped with convenient facilities for the transportation vulnerable. supported to
Until now, the word smart city meant a rather sophisticated place, so it was not a friendly word to the general public. However, as the case of Busan shows, if we continue to show and think about the space and citizen philosophy that a smart city should contain, our perception will change soon. This is because making smart cities a space for all depends not on the development of better technology, but on our firm will and plan. We hope that the future smart city we envision will become a place where 'a digital inclusive world enjoyed by all' is realized.
Ki-Kwang Sung, CEO of Dot Co., Ltd.
☞ Source: Dong-A Ilbo Economic Daily