The numbe of English e-government resources are increasing, but some are better than others.

Korea leads the world in e-government services, it is official. In 2010 and 2012 Korea was ranked number one in the United Nation’s e-Government Survey, which recognized the nation “for estab-lishing a robust telecommunications infrastructure, providing outstanding public service standards and develop-ment of human capital in the usage of e-government facilities.”

Despite much of this being hidden behind the cryptic language isolate that is Hangugeo, English language resources are becoming increasingly common - even from provincial government. Below is an introduction to some useful local and national sites, telling you everything from how to divide your rubbish, to your best local festival.

Living in Korea - national
Hi Korea
Hi Korea is the main e-government site for foreigners, jointly created by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Ministry of Labor. It provides investment, employ-ment, residential, and other related information and services to international visitors and residents. Although its size is a bit overwhelming, this is the go-to site for the nuts and bolts of living in Korea as an international resident.

The site is at its best for visa issues, providing information on how to register for re-entry, extension of stay and for changing workplace. It is also indispen-sable for changing visa status, such as through marriage. Labor-related issues are another of its strengths, along with investment information. In fact, this is top dog when it comes to foreigners and officialdom.

Living in Jeju - local
Information for Foreigners
This site is something of a watered-down version of the national Hi Korea and its size makes it easier to navigate. Its strength is in providing local information, such as how to dispose of your household waste, or how to have a telephone line installed. It also gives more specialized info, such as how to invest in Jeju Island and guidelines on how to enter children into local schools.

Although there are a series of sections, the bulk of the useful information is under “Jeju Life” in “Life Information” where your everyday queries are an- swered. There is also information on foreigners’ legal status in Jeju and invest-ment procedures for foreign businesses. The site also provides links to local provincial government news and a Q&A section answers your questions directly. Unusually, it seems to be answered fairly regularly!

Tourist information - national
Visit Korea
More geared towards visitors to Korea than residents, this site provides every-thing from where to go, where to stay and what to eat when you get there! It func-tions much like a basic guidebook and although it won’t give you the inside information on your local dong, it will give a useful overview of things like utility bills, banking, phone and postal services across the country. Definitely a useful online resource, if you’re not looking to dig too deep. The best section is probably “Destinations,” where there are a series of suggested itineraries for travelers across the country, including some trips around Jeju Island to try out.

Korea - Gateway to Korea
This site provides a wealth of infor-mation about Korea for residents and visitors, including the full resume of Korean President Park Geun-hye! More practical information includes the basics relating to housing and everyday needs, such as Visit Korea, but also includes a blog and introductory videos about contemporary Korea. There is also a full rundown of the Korean political structure and the arts scene, loads of downloadable books and videos, and it is easy to navigate. If you want to know anything from how much has been invested in the Gaesong Industrial Complex in 2011-12, to where you can take traditional food lessons, it’s a thumbs up for this one.

Tourist information - local
HiJeju
This is run by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and is a useful guide to events around the island. A handy resource is the seasonal festival guide - did you know about the Ollim Sweetfish Festival in May? The tour suggestions across the island might prove useful: Jeju City, Seogwipo City, east and west. These ensure you don’t miss any sights when you get out and about. The meat and bones of this site are in the “Travel Information” tab, as the rest is out of date (2007 Annual Report) or empty (Travel Reviews). A good guide if you need basic travel site info in a rush, but otherwise lacking.

Jeju Tourism Organization
As expected, this is geared towards tourists and it is pretty threadbare - the “notice” section has been updated once in six months. It is for the “green” visitor to Jeju, who has not yet heard of the “three plenties,” and wants to have a paragraph summary of the myth of Seolmundae. It’s a Wikipedia-lite, with nice colors and photographs. Jeju is described as: “The island revolving around Halla Moun-tain...where Jeju Special Self Governing Province is located.” There are nice pictures, though.

Other sites - local
Jeju Development Coporation
Everything you need to know about Jeju Free International City, including information about planned infrastructure developments and current projects, like the education city.

Jeju Meeting Incentives Convention Exhibitions (MICE)
Information about conventions and events on the island, such as at the International Convention Center.

Other sites - national
Invest in Korea
An extremely well designed website for investors with a wealth of economic information about the country.

Study in Korea
Contains all the key info. about studying in Korea, from entering university to studying Korean and receiving scholarships.

Live in Korea
This site is for multicultural families. It has multiple language options and outlines the support and services available through the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.