Older people in South Korea are exploring the digital world with curiosity and enthusiasm. In special courses, they’re learning how to use apps, self-service kiosks and artificial intelligence.
Image: Jung Yeon-je/AFP
South Korea is one of the world’s most digitalized countries. However, everyday life there is becoming more difficult for many older people, as smartphone apps, digital payment systems and self-service terminals present them with unfamiliar hurdles. The government is trying to bridge the growing digital gap between generations with special “digital survival” training.
Image: Jung Yeon-je/AFP
Age differences in digital skills are a global problem. In South Korea, a highly connected yet rapidly ageing country, the gap is particularly wide. “You can’t do anything without smartphone apps or a kiosk machine […] It’s too much for old folks,” said 79-year-old Hwang Sun-hee, a recent participant in the government-run training session.
Image: Jade Gao/AFP
In the two-hour sessions, older people learn how to use apps, computers and more. Here, a senior in a nursing home in Suwon is playing a game of Gomoku against a robot. The first player to place five stones in a row wins. Fun is also important — and the women are clearly enjoying themselves.
Image: Jung Yeon-je/AFP
The digital divide can also be a danger for older people, with experts warning of a higher risk of online fraud and problems accessing medical services. According to a government survey, 60% of all South Koreans over the age of 60 struggle with digital public and commercial services. For those under 40, it’s only 6%.
Image: Jade Gao/AFP
This participant is trying out AI glasses for the first time. Experts also attribute South Korea’s large digital divide to rapid industrialization, which took place over just a few decades. A country once marked by war has thus become one of the largest and most modern economies in the world.
Image: Jade Gao/AFP
By the end of the course, participants have learned how to interact with a robot dog, pay hospital bills at practice machines and ask their smartphone about the weather. The training boosts their confidence — but many participants, including 79-year-old Hwang, envy the younger generation for how easily they deal with technology. “I wish I had been born young in today’s world,” she told AFP.
Image: Jung Yeon-je/AFP6 images1 | 66 imageshttps://p.dw.com/p/5Mhr4
