The definition of public administration is slowly changing. Governance is no longer limited to the efficient delivery of services, rather it is redefining citizen-state relations through the trinity of information, technology and policy coordination.

Attending the Digital Government Executive Program 2025 held recently in the city of Sejong, South Korea gave me the opportunity to observe the practice in action. The South Korean experience made one thing clear – technology is only worthwhile if it can bring about inclusive transformations in state structure, policy making and citizen participation. 

South Korea's approach to AI policies and public services is seen to be based on three main things – development of AI experts, expansion of computing capacity and quality data management.

For example: data faculties in universities are expanded to prepare undergraduate and postgraduate students, AI computing centers are established at the national level and structured and unstructured data are collected and used through an integrated public data window. Based on this, AI is being used in road maintenance management, disease forecasting, sign language translation and forest destruction monitoring services. 

Service delivery and technology

South Korea's 'Government Twenty-Four (Gov-24)' system is a special example of citizen-centric use and expansion of technology, which delivers more than a hundred government services to citizens through a single digital gateway.

Citizens can easily do birth certificate, tax, application etc. in one system. All the services can be provided at the click of a button. Such a latest structure has been developed through the use of technology, keeping citizens at the center of democracy. Such a structure has not only made the daily life experience of citizens easier, but has also redefined the state-citizen relationship on a new basis. 

This practice of South Korea is not only exemplary for Nepal but also motivating. Currently, separate information systems are operating in various ministries and agencies in Nepal. The need of the day is to take service work into an integrated framework, creating a blueprint for inter-relationship and coordination between them. For this, policy-makers need to think not only about 'process improvement' but also about 'experience transformation' in service delivery. 

South Korea's 'Personal Information Protection Act' introduced various reforms to ensure people's rights to personal information. In particular, the new amendment covers the right to data portability (the right to transfer your personal information to yourself or a third party), the legal basis for mobile visual data processing devices such as drones and automated vehicles, and transparency in automated decision-making processes. These measures are expected to help build a reliable information protection society along with the development of the data economy. 

The South Korean 'KDID' i.e. digital ID system has introduced the practice of giving citizens their own ownership over their own data. It seems that the South Korean government is equally aware and responsible towards the citizens, not only in providing services to citizens for providing their personal data, but also in its proper use, privacy and ownership. It's not just the use of technology, it's also an approach that shifts state responsibility towards citizen empowerment. 

Nepal has also implemented the digital national identity card system as an initial step. But now before this, it is necessary to think in the direction of building a comprehensive Digital Data Rights Act covering sensitive issues like data privacy, ethical use and citizen ownership at the policy level. 

Korean ambitions

South Korea is currently moving forward with the goal of becoming the world's top artificial intelligence power. By forming a presidential AI committee, the government has set a policy to secure AI chips, develop world-class AI models and expand investment in AI and semiconductors. South Korea has promoted AI as a core tool for national transformation, bringing together education, industry and policy. 

The use of generative AI in local governments has effectively improved citizen services. In particular, access to services has been made easier through chatbots and voice recognition technology, while in the health sector AI is being used in disease prediction and treatment based on personal information. Similarly, AI is proving to be helpful in natural disaster prevention and crime control, in which facial recognition technology has been connected with CCTV and ethical standards have been adopted to ensure privacy. 

The use of AI technology in South Korea is not limited to policy making and service delivery, it has now expanded from disaster management to public health and traffic control. In the next 10 years, the majority of Korean citizens will be more likely to suffer from which diseases, so that AI can be used to predict. Likewise, South Korea seems to be at the forefront of traffic management using AI cameras. 

Nepal has also stepped into the initial stage of AI policy making. Our priority now may be to establish an AI sandbox, under which policy proposals can be tested and pre-evaluated through data analysis. Also, preparing an AI policy code of conduct keeping in mind transparency, equity and social responsibility according to the local context will be useful for long-term policy making. 

Digital Inclusion

In South Korea, special legal and technical arrangements have been made to ensure digital access targeting the blind, disabled and senior citizens who are not yet ready to use digital technology.

The practice of inclusive governance is seen there from technology design to service implementation. With the expansion of digital access at the present time, we should move towards preparing a digital inclusion index at the center of policy making, which will help ensure equal access for all among social, linguistic, geographical and economic diversity. 

In Nepal, separate programs such as digital education, health, smart cities, e-governance, citizen apps are moving forward. But bringing all these efforts under a single policy framework and preparing a 'Digital Government Master Framework' is the next strategic need. Such a framework can establish coherence between policy, technology and implementation, enabling result-oriented governance based on clear measurable indicators. 

Digital governance is not just a way to make service easier, it is also a new philosophy of governance. South Korean practice teaches that technology can only succeed if it is rooted in inclusiveness, accountability and policy clarity.