Digital literacy and social capital during COVID-19 : a comparison among vulnerable social groups

ABSTRACT

This study examined the digital literacy of vulnerable social groups (North Korean defector and marriage immigrant) and the effects of their digital literacy on social capital compared to the general public (South Korean). We used data of South Koreans, North Korean defectors, and marriage immigrants from the ‘2020 The Report on the Digital Divide’. We analysed the difference in digital literacy between the general population (South Korean) and the vulnerable groups (North Korean defector and marriage immigrant) after COVID-19, and how this gap affects the social capital of each group. We discussed how vulnerable group’s digital literacy could become more disproportionate compared to mainstream society in a catastrophic situation, which can lead to weakened social capital.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital literacy
• social capital
• vulnerable social groups
• marriage immigrant
• North Korean defector

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. At the time of the survey (2020), the average exchange rate was about 1,086 won per dollar.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hyun Lee

Hyun Lee is a Research Professor at the Graduate School of Social Welfare at Yonsei University. His research interests include digital divide, social capital, trauma, and adaptation.

Eunjin Lee

Eunjin Lee is a Research Professor at the Graduate school of Social Welfare at Yonsei University. Her research interests include digital divide, digital literacy, social capital, and social networks.

Ja Hyun Shin

Ja Hyun Shin is a Ph.D student at the Graduate school of Social Welfare at Yonsei University. Her research interests include digital divide, social exclusion, migrant workers, and marriage immigrants.