The new South Korean government has decided to set up a national organization that will manage and analyze big data amassed by various government offices and ease regulations to allow the public’s easy access to large datasets as a part of efforts to accelerate the so-called fourth industrial revolution in the country.

According to the ruling Democratic Party and government offices on Tuesday, the new Moon Jae-in government will embark on the process to launch a national big data initiative designed after the United States’ Big Data Research and Development plan by the end of this year. The public big data center is expected to be an independent institution that functions as central data management center managing the public data stored at various government offices and providing data analysis and consulting services for private businesses.

The national big data center is expected to help private companies and fledgling startups develop next-generation technologies and find new business models, said an unnamed Democratic Party politician.

The government has decided to speed up the process to create a national big data ecosystem as it believes managing and analyzing large and diverse datasets will play a critical role in fostering the fourth industrial revolution. It is reported that the Ministry of Planning and Finance has prepared a report on the fourth industrial revolution focusing on big data segment for new government’s state affairs planning committee.

The government will first set up a new task force team that will lead creating the public big data center by gathering all big data managing teams separately run by central and provincial government offices under the new task force and start the process to set up the center in July. Currently, there are 30 or more independently managed government big data teams, said an unnamed high-ranking politician, adding that they are expected to discuss measures to ease regulations on using the public data upon setting up the public center.

The state is also reviewing hiring new data specialist who can manage and analyze big data on government administrations.

By Ko Jae-man

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]