Korea has seen positive results by systematically applying address plates even in areas lacking conventional addresses. In the case of ‘object addresses,’ which are assigned to facilities such as small urban parks, these plates allow precise location identification. If a traffic accident or emergency occurs, responders can use the object address plate installed along the roadside to provide rapid assistance. The photo shows an object address plate installed at the main entrance of a small urban park on Goryeodae-ro 8-gil in Seongbuk District, Seoul. (Photo courtesy of Seongbuk District, Seoul)
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is taking its homegrown address system abroad, beginning with Mongolia, as part of a broader push to expand its public-sector technology overseas.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Tuesday it had launched the “K-Address Global Academy,” a training program designed to share Korea’s address framework and related industries with foreign governments.
The inaugural course, which began Monday, is being held for Mongolian officials at the Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation’s training center in Gongju and will run until September 3.
The initiative builds on South Korea’s 2014 transition to a nationwide road-name address system, a reform that became a model for international standards through its adoption by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
With more countries expressing interest in adopting the Korean model, Seoul is moving to position its system as an exportable public good.
Mongolia has taken the lead. Last year it signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea on address modernization and requested technical support. In March, Seoul dispatched experts to provide consulting on revising Mongolia’s address law.
The current training program blends theory, hands-on practice and field study. It incorporates feedback from industry consultations in July, including the need for cross-border address integration to improve emergency response, location-based services and the transfer of new business models to developing nations.
The ministry said the academy will expand to other Central Asian nations, with sessions planned for Uzbekistan in early September and Kyrgyzstan later that month.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
