Broadband = porno: World's biggest Luddite

Senator Alston turns sights on S Korea

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 30th August 2002 10:13 GMT

See what The Register's experts have to say on application security

Australia's Communications Minister - not best known for his love of the Internet - has explained why he thinks South Korea is the world's leading broadband nation.

In an interview with ABC last Sunday Senator Richard Alston was quizzed over a worrying report which claimed Australia has slipped behind other broadband nations.

Stuff and nonsense, said the Senator, who went on to deliver a rather positive spin on Australia's position, insisting that the country would become a broadband nation all in good time.

Which is a bit of a turnaround for the Senator who, as the interviewer pointed out, used to be anti-Internet claiming that it was just for "pornography and gambling".

Said Senator Alston: "Well for example, people will tell you that pornography is one of the major reasons why there's been a high take-up rate in South Korea. I haven't confirmed that at first instance but I've been there, I've looked at what's happening.

So there you have it. South Korea is the number one broadband nation thanks to porno.

It has nothing to do with the fact that the nation has high population density, which makes the roll-out of broadband networks to end users more cost effective; or a highly competitive Internet access sector that has helped drive down prices to some of the lowest in the world; or a willingness of its population to embrace technology.

Not to mention that South Koreans love to play computer games online, shop, do their banking, oh, and use it for education… ®