To Surpass Japan and the EU within 10 Years
South Korea is aiming to surpass Japan and the European Union within 10 years in the 10 industries including artificial intelligence, 5G and 6G communications, biotech, robot, quantum, and aviation and aerospace.
At present, the United States is planning to invest US$150 billion for five years in the 10 sectors including autonomous driving, biotech, semiconductor and artificial intelligence. China is also increasing its R&D investment in the seven technologies including brain science and artificial intelligence and the eight sectors including smart manufacturing and new material development.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s technological level and R&D investment in such sectors are much below those of high-tech industry leaders. In the quantum industry, South Korea’s level is 62.5 percent of that of the global leader whereas those of China and Japan are 93.2 percent and 90.4 percent, respectively. In 2019, South Korea’s R&D investment in the sector stood at 20 trillion won whereas those of the United States, the European Union, China and Japan were 224 trillion won, 124 trillion won, 77 trillion won and 39 trillion won, respectively.
The South Korean government’s new goal is to raise those technological levels to at least 90 percent of the highest in the world by 2030. The rest of the 10 are semiconductor and display, cyber security, hydrogen technology, and secondary battery.
In semiconductor and display, secondary battery, and 5G and 6G communications, the government will provide intensive support for innovation led by the private sector. In artificial intelligence, robot, hydrogen technology and cyber security, it will accelerate R&D and commercialization through multiple R&D projects. In quantum, biotech, and aviation and aerospace, it will come up with long-term growth goals to be led by the public sector.