Although convenience was mainly emphasized in these changes, the actual introduction is aimed at reducing cost and time. Cost reduction has increased the efficiency of industrial sites and accelerated the distribution structures. However, as online delivery transactions increased, costs decreased. Retail stores with relatively high rents disappeared and local commercial districts have collapsed.
We have witnessed some side effects of the social application of digital technology. Even without thinking of digital crimes, black boxes, digitized personal information was leaked and easily abused. Various types of computerized information are circulated easily, and digital currency has long been the target of young people's speculation because there is no easy supervision.
In this situation, as social distancing continues due to the unprecedented pandemic of infectious diseases, 'digitization' has become an object to be praised and accelerated. Consideration of scientific and technological development and social benefits is acceptable, but not overlooking the side effects and social problems that may arise from them.
In particular, digitization, starting with COVID-19, is focused on reducing human-to-human contact. Human contact is what defines human beings as social beings. What is more problematic is the premise that the tragedy of reducing individual contact with infectious disease is essential and will continue in the future.
In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic reveals several digitization problems. Remote education in schools means a lack of cooperation, lack of interaction of students, the process of meeting teachers in person reduced, leaving only a simple knowledge transfer process. In fact, research reports show that language skills and emotional development have seriously declined. In the field of social service, no visits to the elderly living alone, meetings at welfare centers, reduced assistance for the disabled, and reduced activity and cognitive ability while relying on phone calls. In the medical sector, non-face-to-face treatment and medication, deteriorate the health status of chronically ill patients.
However, not all of these deteriorating processes are the same. As public education shifts to remote, private education are responsible for sports, student analysis, psychological counseling, and even peer meeting. The educational gap among peers has widened. Older people who can afford it still play golf, meet face-to-face, and do outdoor sports. Patients who prefer large hospitals continue face-to-face treatment, and those with chronic diseases consult doctors. Conversely, the elderly, the disabled, and the low-income group continue in the blind spots in society. Chronic diseases in patients who are not able to take care of themselves also worsen.
According to a recent government announcement, rehabilitation treatment will be done remotely, but he doesn't know what can be done. It seems natural that remote rehabilitation is not preferred by patients with money and time. In the end, inequality will accelerate if the value-neutral technology development of "digitization" is actually applied. This is because if digitization appears as a reduction in existing face-to-face services, many are forced to choose non-face-to-face. How to solve the inequality problem that will follow?
South Korea is aging faster than any other developed country. At a time when social care needs to be emphasized, the government's announcement to introduce "smart speaking machines," "AI robots," and "remote rehabilitation therapy" is absurd. Even if it is not during the COVID-19 period, what we need is the human touch and human care. We need first of all to throw away the delusion that care can be digitized.
