Web compatibility issues in South Korea

Last updated

Many South Korean websites have web compatibility issues, due to the non-standard technology that they use. Often this technology works only with Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), some smartphones (iPhone, Android, etc.), and tablets. Following the revision of the Electronic Signatures Act in January 2021, Microsoft's phased outage policy for IE and the increased use of other web browsers that have solved this compatibility problem in a more standard way. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Problem

Government offices and banks have been criticized for forcing the usage of Internet Explorer’s ActiveX. For example, Civil Service 24, a comprehensive civil service portal site provided by the Korean government, requires ActiveX. Some government sites require lower security levels for web browsers. South Korea's compatibility problem is what Former President Park Geun-Hye pointed out as a concern during the regulatory reform debate. [4]

In particular, customers are directed to international direct-purchase sites to avoid downloading ActiveX or going through an additional 10 steps to complete a transaction. [5] This is because, unlike South Korea, international websites allow customers to pay with one or two clicks. [5]

South Korea is the only country in the world that requires Internet Explorer and requires that online purchases use ActiveX and public certificates. [6] This disrupts domestic shopping malls’ websites. [6] These issues led the country to be criticized as a "message disease" that hinders online shopping. [6]

Phenomenon

Example of a misaligned layout:

Attempting to use Internet Explorer only sites with other web browsers produces:

Cause

E-commerce encryption technology

Due to restrictions on the export of cryptography from the United States, standard 128-bit SSL encryption was unavailable in Korea. Web browsers were only available to Koreans with weakened 40-bit encryption. In the late 1990s, the Korea Internet & Security Agency developed its own 128-bit symmetric block cipher named SEED and used ActiveX to mount it in web browsers. This soon became a domestic standard, and the country's Financial Supervisory Service used the technology as a security screening standard. ActiveX spread rapidly in Korea. In 2000, export restrictions were lifted, allowing the use of full-strength SSL anywhere in the world. Most web browsers and national e-commerce systems adopted this technology, while Korea continued to use SEED and ActiveX. [7]

Increased Internet Explorer utilization

In the early 2000s, Netscape, IE's only competitor, failed, and Microsoft's "insert operation" led to the virtual success of the Windows operating system. [8] In Korea, the number of people buying PCs and the Internet at home increased sharply, and Internet Explorer gained share. Most websites depend on Internet Explorer, and ActiveX began to be abused because many web programmers were mass-produced through information service education in Korea around 2000 when ActiveX was widely taught.

Vicious circle

While Internet Explorer's global market share peaked in 2004, Firefox was released by Netscape. [9] As rumors spread through blogs and media that Firefox was superior to Internet Explorer, Firefox gained share. This raised interest in browsers such as Safari, Opera, and Chrome. Firefox and Google Chrome to increase around 25%, respectively, while Internet Explorer fell to 40%, and continued to fall. [10] [11]

In South Korea, these browsers also gained share, but many sites continued to support only Internet Explorer. As of August 2011, South Korea's Internet Explorer market share was over 90%. [11]

Makeshift

User Makeshift User Temporary

Windows Firefox can use Internet Explorer's engine by installing "IETAB" (Finding the Past). However, this approach was unstable.

Non-Windows operating systems, such as Linux and OS X, have a method of installing Windows on virtual machines such as VirtualBox and then running Internet Explorer in guest windows. IEs4Linux on the Wine is another workaround, although this was also unstable.

E-Government

On April 29, 2008, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security of the Republic of Korea finalized and announced the enactment of the "E-Government Web Standards Compliance Guidelines" that define minimum protocols that the government should reflect when establishing e-Government systems. To make this a more effective guideline, the "E-government Web Compatibility Guidelines" were enacted and announced as of August 19, 2009, adopting the principle of ensuring compatibility with at least three browsers, absent technical constraints. [12]

Improvement movement

As of 2010, various solutions have been devised, but the abolition of the public certificate, the core of the problem, is still far from being implemented. [13] In December 2017, the South Korean government decided to abolish ActiveX from the year-end tax settlement, but the exe file must still be installed. [14]

Free Bank Movement

The Free Bank movement, launched by Kwak Dong-soo in 2003, carried out civic action promising to open 10 billion won in accounts at banks that provided Internet banking services for underprivileged non-Windows and non-IE users. 2200 people donated 16 billion won, but no bank participated in the financial sector regulation and the number of users was small at that time. However, after Shinhan Bank developed and provided Internet banking solutions for Macintosh, the Free Bank movement ended. [15]

Web Standard Project

Mozilla Korea Community established the Web Standard Forum in 2004 and continued various discussions and promotional activities to improve it. The anti-ActiveX campaign was led by Channy Yun, and the web standard guide was provided free of charge. [16] In August 2005, the focus was mainly on browser compatibility with web page layouts, including web standards centered on Korean Web standard technology communities, recommending the elimination of DOM errors, and replacing existing table layouts with CSS.

Open Web

The Open Web was established in 2006 by Professor Kim Ki Chang of Korea University School of Law, calling for improvements to the web standards and support for users who do not use Microsoft products. The Financial Supervisory Commission said this is due to security issues, but people argued that ActiveX is outdated given general-purpose encryption technologies such as SSL. The KCC recommended the removal of ActiveX. [17]

IE6 Exclusion Movement

Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) was released in 2001. It had a 20% share in the world market and 50% in South Korea as of 2009. [11] As a result, many companies create websites compatible with IE6. To reduce the negative impact of this limitation, many parts of the world are campaigning to remove Internet Explorer 6, through movements like IE6 No More, IE6 Must Die, and IE6 Countdown. [18] [19] In South Korea, portals display a message at the top of the screen that recommends upgrading to IE7 and IE8.

Due to this IE6 Exclusion campaign, IE6's market share fell to less than 2% in South Korea as of January 2014 and to less than 5% in the global market along with the end of Windows XP support in April 2014, and the adoption of smartphones. [10] [19]

Improvements in some websites

Internet bookstore Aladdin reorganized its website to support other browsers. [20] The National Tax Service reorganized its website to meet the web standard in January 2010, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism strengthened web accessibility to obtain web accessibility quality marks. [21] [22] Yuhan-Kimberly won the web accessibility award by expanding accessibility, and The Ministry of Public Administration and Security conducted a survey of 1,000 companies and institutions on web standards. [23] [24] On July 9, 2010, Woori Bank launched its open banking service, which implements the Internet banking system with general-purpose technologies available on all platforms; this slowly inspired other companies to enlarge compatibility. [25] Kookmin Bank followed Woori Bank in January 2011, and Industrial Bank of Korea released IBK Open Web Banking in February 2011. [26] [27]

Smartphones

In March 2010, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security abolished the regulation that only public certificates are recognized as security programs during financial transactions. This allows banking on smartphones that do not run ActiveX. [28] [29] However, the Financial Services Commission said it had not considered revising the Enforcement Decree of the Electronic Financial Transactions Act. [30]

Korea Communications Commission

In March 2011, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced a plan to improve the Internet usage environment, focusing on alternative technologies, diversification of web browser usage, and upgrading the web environment. [31] [32]

The Mozilla Korea Community led by Channy Yun initially proposed the web standards-based HTML5 encryption and certificate functionality and started the W3C Web Cryptography API specification. [33] [34] [35]

In January 2012, KCC announced that plans to investigate and announce the status of ActiveX on a quarterly basis for 100 major websites and open them to web developers or web service providers. [36] In April the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (PAS) and KCC reported that 168 sites, or 84% of the 200 major public-private sites in South Korea, were using ActiveX technology. The private sector used ActiveX the most in payment and certification (41.1%), while administrative agencies use ActiveX the most in security (40%). [37]

In July 2012, PAS and KCC reported that supported three or more types of web browsers, using ActiveX only in Internet Explorer and alternative technologies in other web browsers. As a result, 73% of the top 100 websites of government administrative agencies provide alternative technologies, that are available in more than three web browsers. [38]

In July 2012 KCC announced a plan to promote the spread of HTML5 standards. [39] [40]

As of 2018, W3C's Web Cryptography API has been used as the basis for security technologies such as public certificates based on HTML5 in e-government services and banking. [41] [42] This ensures diversity in operating systems and web browsers. [43]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer</span> Web browser series by Microsoft

Internet Explorer is a deprecated series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft that were used in the Windows line of operating systems. While IE has been discontinued on most Windows editions, it remains supported on certain editions of Windows, such as Windows 10 LTSB/LTSC. Starting in 1995, it was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year. Later versions were available as free downloads or in-service packs and included in the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) service releases of Windows 95 and later versions of Windows. Microsoft spent over US$100 million per year on Internet Explorer in the late 1990s, with over 1,000 people involved in the project by 1999. New feature development for the browser was discontinued in 2016 and ended support on June 15, 2022, in favor of its successor, Microsoft Edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Web browser</span> Software used to navigate the internet

A web browser is an application for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. In 2020, an estimated 4.9 billion people have used a browser. The most used browser is Google Chrome, with a 65% global market share on all devices, followed by Safari with 18%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ActiveX</span> Software framework by Microsoft introduced in 1996

ActiveX is a deprecated software framework created by Microsoft that adapts its earlier Component Object Model (COM) and Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technologies for content downloaded from a network, particularly from the World Wide Web. Microsoft introduced ActiveX in 1996. In principle, ActiveX is not dependent on Microsoft Windows operating systems, but in practice, most ActiveX controls only run on Windows. Most also require the client to be running on an x86-based computer because ActiveX controls contain compiled code.

This is a comparison of both historical and current web browsers based on developer, engine, platform(s), releases, license, and cost.

Trident is a proprietary browser engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer, developed by Microsoft.

SEED is a block cipher developed by the Korea Information Security Agency (KISA). It is used broadly throughout South Korean industry, but seldom found elsewhere. It gained popularity in Korea because 40-bit encryption was not considered strong enough, so the Korea Information Security Agency developed its own standard. However, this decision has historically limited the competition of web browsers in Korea, as no major SSL libraries or web browsers supported the SEED algorithm, requiring users to use an ActiveX control in Internet Explorer for secure web sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netscape Browser</span> Internet browser

Netscape Browser is the eighth major release of the Netscape series of web browsers, now all discontinued. It was published by AOL, but developed by Mercurial Communications, and originally released for Windows on May 19, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer 7</span> Web browser for Windows, released in 2006

Windows Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) is a web browser for Windows. It has been retired on all Windows versions except Windows Embedded Compact 2013. It was released by Microsoft on October 18, 2006, as the seventh version of Internet Explorer and the successor to Internet Explorer 6. Internet Explorer 7 is part of a long line of versions of Internet Explorer and was the first major update to the browser since 2001. It was the default browser in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, as well as Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, and can replace Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, but unlike version 6, this version does not support Windows 2000, Windows ME, or earlier versions of Windows. It also does not support Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 or later Windows Versions.

Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI) was an application programming interface (API) of the web browsers that allows plugins to be integrated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Internet Explorer</span>

Microsoft developed 11 versions of Internet Explorer for Windows from 1995 to 2013. Microsoft also developed Internet Explorer for Mac, Internet Explorer for UNIX, and Internet Explorer Mobile respectively for Apple Macintosh, Unix, and mobile devices; the first two are discontinued but the latter runs on Windows CE, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer 6</span> Web browser for Windows released in 2001

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) is a graphical web browser developed by Microsoft for Windows operating systems. Released on August 24, 2001, it is the sixth, and by now discontinued, version of Internet Explorer and the successor to Internet Explorer 5. It was the default browser in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and can replace previous versions of Internet Explorer on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 2000 and Windows ME but unlike version 5, this version does not support Windows 95 or earlier versions. IE6 SP2+ and IE7 were only included in or available (IE7) for Windows XP SP2+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer 5</span> Web browser for Windows released in 1999

Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 (IE5) is the fifth, and by now, discontinued, version of the Internet Explorer graphical web browser, the successor to Internet Explorer 4 and one of the main participants of the first browser war. Its distribution methods and Windows integration were involved in the United States v. Microsoft Corp. case. Launched on March 18, 1999, it was the default browser in Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows ME and can replace previous versions of Internet Explorer on Windows 3.1x, Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 and the original release of Windows 98. Although Internet Explorer 5 ran only on Windows, its siblings Internet Explorer for Mac 5 and Internet Explorer for UNIX 5 supported Mac OS X, Solaris and HP-UX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer 3</span> Web browser for Windows released in 1996

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 (IE3) is the third, and by now, discontinued, version of the Internet Explorer graphical web browser which was announced in March 1996, and was released on August 13, 1996 by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and on January 8, 1997 for Apple Mac OS. It began serious competition against Netscape Navigator in the first Browser war. It was Microsoft's first browser release with a major internal development component. It was the first more widely used version of Internet Explorer, although it did not surpass Netscape or become the browser with the most market share. During its tenure, IE market share went from roughly 3–9% in early 1996 to 20–30% by the end of 1997. In September 1997 it was superseded by Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Explorer 8</span> Web browser for Windows released in 2009

Windows Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) is the eighth and, by now, discontinued version of the Internet Explorer web browser for Windows. It was released by Microsoft on March 19, 2009, as the successor to Internet Explorer 7. It was the default browser in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Conditional comments are conditional statements interpreted by Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 through 9 in HTML source code. They can be used to provide and hide code to and from these versions of Internet Explorer. Conditional comments are not supported in Internet Explorer 10 and 11.

In computing, version targeting is a technique that allows a group of users to use some advanced software features that were introduced in a particular software version while allowing users accustomed to the prior versions to still use the same software as if the new features were never added to the software. It is a way to ensure backward compatibility when new software features would otherwise break it.

Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Star OS</span> North Korean Linux-based operating system

Red Star OS is a North Korean Linux distribution, with development first starting in 1998 at the Korea Computer Center (KCC). Prior to its release, computers in North Korea typically used Red Hat Linux and later switched to modified versions of Microsoft Windows with North Korean language packs installed.

A compatibility mode is a software mechanism in which a software either emulates an older version of software, or mimics another operating system in order to allow older or incompatible software or files to remain compatible with the computer's newer hardware or software. Examples of the software using the mode are operating systems and Internet Explorer.

References

  1. ↑ "국가법령정보센터". www.law.go.kr. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  2. ↑ "마이크로소프트는 인터넷 익스플로러 지원을 언제 종료할까". 보안뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  3. ↑ "QR 코드를 사용하여 로그인하기 - Android - Google 계정 고객센터". support.google.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  4. ↑ "박근혜 '천송이코트' 한마디에 카드회사만 웃었다[비평] 대통령 오류 지적 않은 금융관료, 결제대행시장 독점한 카드회사, 미디어스 2014.07.30 - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  5. 1 2 "[규제 개혁] 아마존 '1초 결제'… 公認인증서(30만원 이상 결제시) 필수인 국내 쇼핑몰은 10분". biz.chosun.com (in Korean). 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  6. 1 2 3 매거진한경 (2014-01-16). "[조광수의 IT 心포니] 온라인 쇼핑 산업 가로막는 결제 서비스". magazine.hankyung.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  7. ↑ "안전한 온라인 뱅킹을 위하여 | Open Web". 2016-03-05. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  8. ↑ "[브랜드 흥망사] 인터넷 여명기를 개척하고 사라진 웹 브라우저, 넷스케이프". it.donga.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  9. ↑ www.nextdaily.co.kr (2009-10-19). "5대 웹브라우저, 성능 얼마나 차이날까?". 미래를 여는 종합미디어 넥스트데일리. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  10. 1 2 "W3Counter: Global Web Stats". www.w3counter.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  11. 1 2 3 "StatCounter Global Stats - Browser, OS, Search Engine including Mobile Usage Share". StatCounter Global Stats. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  12. ↑ "행정정보 > 법령정보 > 입법예고". 2012-05-13. Archived from the original on 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  13. ↑ 머니투데이 (2017-03-07). "2014년 의무화 폐지된 공인인증서? 오해와 진실 혹은 논란 - 머니투데이". news.mt.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  14. ↑ "액티브X 퇴출, 어디까지 왔나". it.donga.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  15. ↑ "[화제 사이트] 프리뱅크 .. 인터넷뱅킹 권리찾기 시위". hankyung.com (in Korean). 2004-03-30. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  16. ↑ "실전 웹 표준 가이드 (2005)::시맨틱 마크업, 구조적 레이아웃, DOM 스크립팅, Cross Browsing 가이드". www.mozilla.or.kr. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  17. ↑ "'액티브X' 마침내 퇴출된다". www.hani.co.kr (in Korean). 2011-03-30. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  18. ↑ "IE6 No More - Home". www.ie6nomore.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  19. 1 2 "Internet Explorer 6 Countdown | Death to IE 6 | IE6 Countdown". 2013-05-14. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  20. ↑ "알라딘 밀어주기 | Open Web". 2014-07-29. Archived from the original on 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  21. ↑ www.etnews.com (2010-01-13). "[사설] 국세청의 웹 표준화를 배우자". 대한민국 IT포털의 중심! 이티뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  22. ↑ "보도자료 - 문화체육관광부, 장애인 웹 접근성 품질마크 획득 | 문화체육관광부". www.mcst.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  23. ↑ "유한킴벌리, 인터넷 고객만족 대상 '웹접근성' 부문 대상". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  24. ↑ www.etnews.com (2010-01-12). "행안부, 1000개 기업·기관 웹 표준 실태조사 나선다". 대한민국 IT포털의 중심! 이티뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  25. ↑ "우리銀, '우리오픈뱅킹 서비스' 실시". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  26. ↑ "국민銀, KB오픈뱅킹서비스 실시". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  27. ↑ 기업은행 (2011-02-09). "IBK기업은행, '오픈 웹뱅킹 서비스' 실시". IBK기업은행, ‘오픈 웹뱅킹 서비스’ 실시 - 뉴스와이어 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  28. ↑ "모든 스마트폰서 인터넷뱅킹 된다". hankyung.com (in Korean). 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  29. ↑ "전자결제·주식거래 스마트폰으로 척척". news.imaeil.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  30. ↑ "한국경제 「모든 스마트폰서 인터넷뱅킹 된다」 제하의 기사 관련". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  31. ↑ "2011년 제21차 위원회 결과". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  32. ↑ "[취재수첩] 액티브X 퇴출 정책, 좀 약하다". www.ddaily.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  33. ↑ "W3C Web Cryptography Working Group". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  34. ↑ "Web Cryptography Working Group Charter". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  35. ↑ "'액티브X' 없이도 공인인증서 쓴다". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  36. ↑ "방통위, 비표준 기술 ActiveX 사용하는 사이트 정기적으로 조사·발표한다". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  37. ↑ "ActiveX, 민간·정부 200대 사이트 중 168곳(84%)에서 사용". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  38. ↑ "민·관 주요 웹사이트 ActiveX 2/4분기 현황조사 결과 발표". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  39. ↑ "방통위, 차세대 웹 표준 HTML5로 웹 환경 개선·인터넷 산업 경쟁력 모두 잡는다". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  40. ↑ "인터넷 글로벌 경쟁력 강화를 위한 차세대 웹 표준 (HTML5) 확산 추진계획". www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  41. ↑ "Web Cryptography API". 2018-09-10. Archived from the original on 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  42. ↑ "[Hot Issue] 굿바이! Active X … 대체 솔루션은?". www.ahnlab.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  43. ↑ 행정안전부. "전자정부 웹 표준 준수지침 제정예고 | 행정안전부> 정책자료> 법령정보> 입법·행정예고 전자공청회". mois.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-17.
Content in this edit is translated from the existing Korean Wikipedia article at  대한민국의 웹 호환성 문제]] see its history for attribution.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.