Strategies for bridging the Internet digital divide in Peru: A benchmarking of South Korea and Chile

The Internet has become a catalyst of the global economy. Developing countries are lagging behind developed countries due to unequal access to the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICTs). Governments are challenged to establish adequate strategies to reduce this gap and achieve the inclusion of their citizens. In this context, developing countries could leverage on adequate Internet-gap-reduction strategies to boost economic growth and development. The present study attempts to make an analysis of the Internet-related policies adopted by Chile, which is a leading country in South America; and by South Korea, which is a leading country in the world. We gathered data from secondary sources related to the process of digitalization in both countries. The collected data was processed and a PEST (political, economic, social, and technological) analysis was conducted for Peru to determine which actions can be taken to bridge the Internet digital divide in this country. The results shed light on the complexity of this phenomenon, which depends not only on access, but also on intensity of use and skills. Implications for policy makers are discussed.