Per Capita National Income $35,000... What Is the Reality of Korean Technology? [Tech War, Birth of Advanced Nations]

Countdown to $40,000 Per Capita Income Era
Foundation of South Korea's Economic Growth: 'Scientific and Technological Innovation' and 'Industrial Competitiveness'
Conditions for South Korea to Become a True Advanced Nation Amid Global Technology Wars

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] South Korea's per capita Gross National Income (GNI) last year reached $35,373 (40.48 million KRW based on last year's average exchange rate), surpassing $35,000 for the first time ever. The era of a $40,000 national income is just around the corner. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has reclassified South Korea's status from a developing country to an advanced country. If the Group of Seven (G7), known as the "advanced countries club," expands to eleven countries (G11), South Korea's inclusion is increasingly likely. However, with the onset of the "tech war," where advanced strategic technologies are responsible for national security, questions arise about whether South Korea can truly be considered an advanced country.

In the 1960s, South Korea was a country exporting textiles, but it has since developed into a nation exporting semiconductors, digital products, and automobiles, marking a successful "technology catch-up." However, experts diagnose that there are still many shortcomings in leaping beyond the catch-up phase to become a country leading strategic technologies. With the start of the tech war, it has become important to assess whether South Korea is leading strategic technologies to truly transform into an advanced country. In this fierce era of technological hegemony competition, where the Fourth Industrial Revolution and other factors make the future unpredictable, economic security through scientific and technological innovation has become a variable that determines national survival and status.

To mark its 34th anniversary, Asia Economy Newspaper examines the current reality of South Korea's strategic technologies and explores what preparations have been made and what potential exists for each industrial sector to become a truly technology-leading nation. The coverage will include ▲ South Korea's technological capabilities and its current position in the technology standards war ▲ Education and talent development, which are crucial for the future of the technology leadership battle ▲ The government's role in incubating ventures ▲ Reconsideration of regulations and certifications to minimize the negative effects of new technologies ▲ The current status of core strategic industries by sector ▲ The global competition among countries striving to become technology leaders.