South Korean media: "2 to 18", South Korea's future innovative enterprises are only one-ninth of China!
On June 21, the South Korean media "Korea Economic Daily" published an article stating that in eight future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robots, the number of top ten companies is 41 for the United States, 18 for China, and 2 for South Korea. As cutting-edge industries move toward a competitive landscape between China and the US, South Korea is losing its foothold. With pillar industries such as semiconductors and automobiles陷入困局, there are concerns that it will be difficult to ensure competitiveness in future industries, leading to a loss of competitiveness in South Korea's industries.
The recent "Global Future Industry Competitiveness Index Report" released by Canadian advanced industry market research company ICV TAnK shows that among eight future industries including artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, biotechnology, environmental energy, space and oceans, advanced networks, quantum computing, and brain science, only two companies from South Korea are included: Samsung Electronics (advanced network field) and LG Energy Solution (environmental energy). ICV TAnK ranked companies in these eight fields at the request of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The country with the most top 10 companies is the United States (41), followed by China (18), while Canada and Japan each have three companies ranked third. A South Korean insider stated, "To achieve success in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence and humanoid robots, a solid foundation in basic research is essential. The United States and China have been conducting basic research for a long time, making it only natural for them to dominate cutting-edge industries."
This is why some people evaluate that South Korea, lacking funds and human resources available for research and development, is not sufficient to compete directly with the US and China. As of last year, South Korea's ranking in ICV TAnK's Future Industry Competitiveness Index (10th place, 81.48 points) dropped two places compared to 2022 (8th place). It not only lags behind the US and China but also falls behind Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and Australia.
Lee Sang-hyun, director of the Digital Artificial Intelligence Lab at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, said, "South Korea's strength lies in applied technology for products and services rather than basic technology. If the South Korean government provides support and regulatory reforms, star companies will emerge in cutting-edge industries."
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835539634438156/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author alone.