The Korean government is developing an app store to help the dissemination of public information.
The “national app store” – almost certainly the world’s first - could debut as early as during the first-half of this year, according to the Ministry of Public Administration and Safety.
“The plan is to first launch the government app store as an Internet site and then expand it to mobile platforms,” an official told Korea Times.
”Since the establishment of the government information database in 1999, more than 300 million sources of public information are being held.
“By allowing the public to access and use the massive amount of government information, the private sector will be given the means to create more added-value services.”
Officials reportedly said they would “lower the barriers” to private companies wanting to offer government information, but did not say how.
In two notorious incidents, the state rail company Korail blocked a free rail timetable app, iKorail, from its servers, while a provincial government bus company briefly blocked a bus timetable app.