From the Gyeongbu Expressway to the Nuriho Launch Vehicle...
How Industrial Technology Shaped South Korea's History
The 80-year history of technological innovation in South Korea has been compiled into a single book.
The National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK) announced on the 6th that it has published "80 Industrial Technology Heritage Selections," which highlights technologies that have contributed to national development and the improvement of quality of life for the people since industrialization, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation.
This book is the result of the "Technology Becomes Life" project, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It comprehensively documents 80 years of South Korea's industrial technology history, from the ruins of war to its emergence as a global technological powerhouse.
The Academy formed a selection committee chaired by Professor Han Seunghun of Yonsei University, and experts from seven divisions-electrical and electronics, mechanical, construction and environment, chemical and biological, materials and resources, computing, and biomedical-reviewed the candidates. The selections were made in a balanced manner across different eras, considering not only technological achievements but also their social and economic impact, improvements to daily life, and historical significance.
For the 1950s and 1960s, the selections include the Samcheok Cement Plant, nylon stretch yarn, the Gyeongbu Expressway, and the vacuum tube radio "A-501." These technologies laid the foundation for industrialization and established the basis for self-reliance.
During the 1970s and 1980s, innovations such as the first blast furnace at POSCO, the Pony automobile, Seoul Subway Line 1, the electronic telephone exchange (TDX), 4M·16M DRAM, and the Hantaan virus vaccine were recognized. These represent the heavy chemical, electronics, and medical innovations that fueled the "Miracle on the Han River."
In the 1990s and 2000s, commercial deployment of code division multiple access (CDMA), the development of Hangul word processor, the opening of Incheon International Airport, achieving the world's top position in shipbuilding and offshore plants, and the commercialization of CMOS image sensors were selected. These achievements symbolize South Korea's leap to a technological powerhouse and the establishment of software sovereignty.
Most recently, in the 2010s and 2020s, high bandwidth memory (HBM), the Nuriho launch vehicle, high-nickel cathode materials, and the domestically developed large language model "Sovereign" were included. These are recognized as accomplishments that have secured South Korea's leadership in future industries such as semiconductors, space, and AI.
President Yoon Euijoon stated, "The history of South Korea's technological challenges, which created something out of nothing, is condensed in these 80 selections. It is highly meaningful to pass on to future generations the stories of how the determination of engineers made the impossible possible during times of crisis." He also emphasized, "This record will serve as a milestone for our technology to continue leading the world in a new era of challenges such as AI, carbon neutrality, and space exploration."
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