Evaluating Digital Inclusion: A Framework for Indexing Inclusive Progress

As digital transformation drives technological change and innovation, digital inclusion becomes critical for enhancing individuals’ economic, social, and political opportunities. However, its conceptualization and measurement remain underdeveloped in context-specific backgrounds. This study aims to construct a digital inclusion framework for indexing the level of digital inclusion. Using expert surveys conducted in South Korea in 2023 and the analytical hierarchy process, this study empirically validates a structured approach to measure an individual level of digital inclusion. The results confirmed three dimensions of digital inclusion in terms of access, competency, and usage, each comprising multiple subcategories and indicators. Among three characteristics of digital inclusion, both access and usage hold the highest weight, followed by competency. These findings underscore the foundational role of digital access and usage in fostering inclusive digital growth, providing a practical assessment framework to ensure equitable digital participation across diverse contexts.