Browser update overdue for too many Koreans
Major portals and online game sites here recently stopped supporting Internet Explorer (IE) 6. As they won’t include it when they test their services, users of the old browser may encounter errors.
It is a desperate countermeasure to induce people to install updated versions of IE or other Web browsers such as Firefox or Chrome. Korea is often dubbed an IT powerhouse, thanks to its ultra-high speed Internet service and people’s eagerness to use the latest devices, on top of being home to top global manufacturers like Samsung Electronics.
However, when it comes to Web browsers, Korea is more outdated than any other country in the world. Over a decade has passed since the launch of IE 6 and Microsoft has released IE 7, 8 and 9 since then, providing better functions and protection from cyber attacks. Despite this, people here are stuck to the obsolete browser. According to StatCounter, only 1.62 percent of Internet users are still using IE 6 worldwide, while the ratio stands at 6.74 percent in Korea, second only to China among major countries.
