Technological Gap between ROK-China Stands at 2.1 Years.

A Research shows that the technological gap between Korea and China in the 99 fields designated by the Korean government as core technology, including telecommunication and future energy, has been narrowed to average of 2.1 years. For 10 major growth engine industries, including the next-generation semiconductor, the technological gap between the two countries was shortened to 2.5 years on average.

These new findings were included in a report titled “Comparison of Technological Standard of Core Technologies and the Ten Major Growth Engine Industries,” which was written by the Special Committee on Future Strategy under the National Assembly with Chairman Ahn Sang-Soo, and published by the Ministry of Science and Technology on September 29.

The report shows that Korea is technologically ahead of China in some fields that are included among the 99 core technology fields. Korea is still ahead of China by 4.1 years in a field known as “Telecommunication Anytime, Anywhere,” and by 4.9 years in “Environmental Innovation for a Comfortable and Healthy Life.” However, according to the report, Korea is only a year ahead of China in the field of “The Supply, Demand, and the Industrialization of Efficient and Safe Environmentally-friendly Energy,” and trails China by 3.8 years in the field known as “Approaching the Age of Aerospace.”

Compared to other countries, Korea is 5.8 years behind the United States on the whole, while trailing the European Union and Japan by 4.0 years and 3.7 years, respectively.

Regarding the 10 major growth engine industries, the technological gap between Korea and China stood at 3.4 years for the digital TV and broadcasting. However, Korea led China by a mere 0.7 year difference in the next-generation power cells. Korea had a 1.6 years’ advantage over China in the fields of BT medicines and organs. On the whole, Korea is 4.2 years behind the U.S. and 2.8 years behind Japan, while lagging behind the EU by 2.4 years.

Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com