Convergence and divergence: Policy making about the convergence of technology in Korea

In 2009, the South Korean government reformed its communications sector through legislation that addresses convergence services. This study traces the policy-making process of the convergence in terms of politics and regulation, and it also examines how the stakeholders' interests are aligned and coordinated in the policymaking process of convergence in Korea. Using actor-network theory, this study relates the socio-political construction of Korea's strategy for convergence reform. Key research questions include: (1) what social and political factors influence strategy formulation and (2) how do different interests stabilize ideologies in which actors formulate their strategies based on their interests. Despite the dynamic interactions, the actor-network around convergence has yet not been effectively stabilized, as the politics of convergence is complex and marked by paradoxical features. This study suggests new intellectual perspectives and methodological heuristics that may assist researchers and practitioners analytical efforts in examining socio-technical change and the implications for policy development and implementation.