Korean Media: South Korea Leads in None of the 12 National Strategic Technologies Compared to China!
On May 29, Korean media outlet Today's Finance published an article stating that according to the Ministry of Science and ICT's "2024 Technology Level Assessment Report" released at the end of last year, South Korea does not lead China in any of the 12 national strategic key technologies. Using the United States—the global leader in technology—as a benchmark, South Korea has achieved only 80.0% of the technological level in hydrogen energy, matching China’s level. In the remaining 11 technologies—including semiconductors, displays, rechargeable batteries, and artificial intelligence—South Korea lags behind China.
Specifically, the assessment shows that while South Korea ranked first globally in rechargeable battery technology in 2022, it was surpassed by China just two years later, with a gap of 0.2 years. In aerospace and marine fields, the gap with China has widened to 5.1 years; in quantum technology, the gap is 3.3 years; in advanced biotechnology, it is 1.3 years; and in artificial intelligence, it stands at 1.2 years. South Korea also trails China by 0.1 years in both semiconductor and display technologies.
An analysis indicates that South Korea’s lagging position in most strategic technology areas stems not only from differences in technological strength but also from a significant disparity in national-level capital mobilization capacity. Under China’s “Made in China 2025” strategy, capital has been concentrated in critical industries such as semiconductors and batteries. Additionally, China is accelerating the construction of an economic structure centered on advanced industries like artificial intelligence.
Major countries in the U.S. and Europe are also intensifying efforts, combining subsidies with private financing to ensure technological competitiveness. In 2022, the U.S. enacted the CHIPS Act, providing a total of $52.7 billion in government subsidies to the semiconductor industry. Germany plans to establish a fund worth €30 billion, which will serve as a catalyst to leverage private investment up to €130 billion.
Experts warn that without changing the current capital allocation structure, South Korea’s future industrial competitiveness cannot be guaranteed. Given that transitioning from technological research and development to large-scale production requires substantial long-term capital, they emphasize that expanding the role of private financing, beyond policy-driven financing, is crucial.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866506420038668/
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