亚洲国家数字化战略的比较教训：印度尼西亚、韩国、新加坡和泰国（英）

KEY POINTS Comparative Lessons from Asia’sNational Digitalization Strategies:Indonesia, the Republic of Korea,Singapore, and Thailand •Two distinct trajectoriesof digital transformationoffer critical policy lessonsfor Asia. The Republic ofKorea (ROK) and Singaporeshow how long-term digitalinvestment pays off whileIndonesia and Thailandhighlight rapid catch-upthrough effective policies,restructuring, and globalcollaboration. Donghyun ParkEconomic AdvisorEconomic Research and DevelopmentImpact Department (ERDI)Asian Development Bank (ADB) Willem SmitLead Faculty for EntrepreneurshipYSEALI AcademyFulbright University Vietnam •Collaboration acrossgovernment and acrosssociety was essential forboth trajectories.Digitaltransformation was centrallycoordinated across ministries,aligning with nationalgoals. Strategic plans droveinnovation and economicrestructuring. Erkko AutioProfessor and Chair in TechnologyVenturing and EntrepreneurshipImperial College LondonBusiness School Shu TianPrincipal EconomistERDI, ADB Kun Fu Reader of Innovation andEntrepreneurshipInstitute for International Managementand EntrepreneurshipLoughborough University London •Despite infrastructureprogress, closing the digitaldivide remains important.Bridging divides needstargeted, inclusive digitalpolicies, and community-based interventions. •Digitalization efforts shouldbe aligned with nationalcomparative advantagesand broader environmental,social, and governance(ESG) and inclusion goals.Singapore and the ROKlead in fintech and 5G;Indonesia and Thailandfocus on agriculture, smalland medium enterprise,and inclusive, ESG-alignedinnovation. BACKGROUND As the global digital economy expands, governments across Asia have adopteddiverse national digitalization strategies. These policies serve both economic andsocial purposes: boosting competitiveness, enhancing service delivery, and bridgingdigital divides. Table 1 shows digitalization progress in 124 economies. Asia progresseddisproportionally well. The majority of the 45 Asian economies reached medium to highlevels of digitalization in 2021, while 10 years earlier, less than one-third of them hadreached medium-high digitalization levels. Among the nine different success archetypesidentified, Asian economies dominate as (i) “Steady champions” (with the Republic ofKorea and Singapore) who maintained digital leadership throughout 2010–2021, and ISBN 978-92-9277-418-9 (print)ISBN 978-92-9277-419-6 (PDF)ISSN 2071-7202 (print)ISSN 2218-2675 (PDF)Publication Stock No. BRF250360-2DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/BRF250360-2 to a medium-high level of digitalization over the decadeof the study. They are exceptional cases of breakthroughsthat might hold the strategic and policy keys to swiftadvancement in digitalization for adoption by economieswishing to replicate such a performance. Seven of themare Asian economies, including Indonesia and thePhilippines. (ii) “Sprinting mid-tier” economies (with Indonesia and Thailand)who leaped from limited adoption to medium-high digital maturityin the same period. This brief compares four Asian economies—Indonesia, theRepublic of Korea (ROK), Singapore, and Thailand—highlightingtheir distinct digital transformation trajectories and policyinnovations. Digital transformation is a powerful catalyst forinclusive economic growth. As economies in developing Asia seekto harness digital technologies for productivity, entrepreneurship,and gender empowerment, understanding the policy architecturesof more advanced Asian peers offers strategic insights. Among these two success types, two case studies per type receiveda more detailed analysis: the ROK and Singapore as two “SteadyDigital Champions,” and Indonesia and Thailand as examples ofthe “Sprinting Mid-tiers.” The comparative study of four Asian economies in thisbrief—Indonesia, theRepublic of Korea,Singapore, andThailand—analyzes their digitalization policies from 2000 throughthe post-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) 2000–2021. Theseeconomies were selected based on their digital transformationtrajectories: two are “Steady digital champions,” and two are“Sprinting mid-tier”economies. The goal is to distill actionablerecommendations for policymakers in middle-income Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies. VARIOUS DIGITAL DIVIDE CHALLENGES To gauge a country’s digital divide involves examining whethertechnological infrastructure is easily accessible and affordable forall groups in society, including those that are considered weaker ormarginalized. Any disparity that exists in terms of internet access,network affordability, and digital skills can affect education andparticipation in the digital sphere. National government policiescan play a crucial role in mitigating divides through inclusionefforts, broadband expansion, and skills training. Trust in digitalsystems and data security are additional concerns. Table 2 lists thedigital divide challenges in these four economies. The analysis highlight