OECD Korea Innovation Policy Review 2009

OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy
KOREA
How are a countrys achievements in innovation defined and measured, and how do they relate OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy
to economic performance? What are the major features, strengths and weaknesses of a nations
innovation system? How can government foster innovation?
The OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy offer a comprehensive assessement of the innovation KOREA
system of individual OECD member and non-member countries, focusing on the role of government.
They provide concrete recommendations on how to improve policies that affect innovation
performance, including R&D policies. Each review identifies good practices from which other
countries can learn.
Koreas exceptional economic success over the last half century has few parallels and has been
driven in no small part by a firm commitment to innovation. Among its strengths, Korea has one of
the highest rates of spending on R&D in the world, much of which is performed by private firms.
It also has a highly educated labour force as signalled by its impressive PISA performance and
exceptionally high rates of tertiary level graduation with a strong interest in science and technology.
However, a number of bottlenecks persist that hamper Koreas economic convergence with the
leading OECD economies. These include a relatively weak SME sector and weak performance
in services, as well as lagging capacities to conduct leading-edge research in many areas.
Furthermore, Korea faces numerous threats in the mid term, notably increased levels of competition
from China and other newly-industrialising economies, the lowest fertility rate in the OECD and an
ageing society, and a continuing high dependency on imports of natural resources, particularly
hydrocarbons. In the shorter term, the economic crisis offers its own challenges, with the need for
some policy adjustments to deal with expected falls in business investment in R&D and growing
levels of unemployment among the highly skilled.
This report assesses the current status of Koreas innovation system and policies, and identifies
where and how the government should focus its efforts to improve the countrys innovation
capabilities.
More information about the OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy series is available at
www.oecd.org/sti/innovation/reviews.
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Korea
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FOREWORD 3
Foreword
This review of Koreas Innovation Policy is part of a series of OECD country reviews
of innovation policy.* The review was requested by the Korean authorities, represented
by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), and was carried out by
the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) under the auspices
of the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP).
The review draws on a background report commissioned by the Korean authorities,**
and on the results of a series of interviews with major stakeholders in Koreas innovation
system. The review was drafted by Michael Keenan (Country Review Unit, DSTI,
OECD) and Ron Johnston (consultant to the OECD, Professor at the University of
Sydney), with contributions from and under the supervision of Jean Guinet (Head,
Country Review Unit, DSTI, OECD).
This review owes much to STEPI researchers, particularly Kong-Rae Lee, for
organising a series of interviews in Korea, and to Korean government officials, in
particular Hae-Joo Moon, Pan-Sick Hwang, Jin-Hun Bae, Joo-Han Kim and Tae-Young
Kim for their guidance and for feedback on early drafts of the review. Yong-Nam Jung
(Institute for Information Technology Advancement) also arranged interviews for the
OECD team. An interim report prepared by the OECD and presented at a policy forum in
Seoul in January 2008 benefited from comments by and the participation of Dieter Ernst
(East-West Center, Honolulu). Finally, the review also benefited significantly from the
insights of Korean OECD colleagues, namely Tae-Seog Oh and Dong-Hoon Oh.
*
See www.oecd.org/sti/innovation/reviews.
**
The background report was prepared by a team of Korean experts and edited by Kong-Rae Lee of the
Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) on behalf of MEST. The teams experts were Tae-
Kyung Sung (Jeonju University), Woo-Sung Lee (STEPI), Sangwon Ko (Korea Information Society
Development Institute) and Jung-Tae Hwang (STEPI).
OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
Table of Contents
Introduction: Korean Innovation Policy in a Time of Economic Crisis...................................................... 7
Overall Assessment and Recommendations ................................................................................................ 13

Main strengths and weaknesses of Koreas innovation system .................................................................... 14
Strategic tasks and guiding principles .......................................................................................................... 17
Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................ 19
valuation gnrale et recommandations ...................................................................................................... 31
Forces et faiblesses principales du systme dinnovation coren ................................................................ 32
Missions stratgiques et principes directeurs .............................................................................................. 36
Recommandations ........................................................................................................................................ 38
Chapter 1. Performance and Framework Conditions for Innovation ...................................................... 51
1.1. Macroeconomic performance ................................................................................................................ 51
1.2. Structural features ................................................................................................................................. 58
1.3. Framework conditions for innovation ................................................................................................... 72
1.4. Performance in science, technology and innovation ............................................................................. 74
Chapter 2. Main Features of the Innovation System .................................................................................. 87
2.1. Large national firms .............................................................................................................................. 87
2.2. SMEs and new technology-based firms .............................................................................................. 111
2.3. Government research institutes ........................................................................................................... 124
2.4. Higher education institutions............................................................................................................... 138
2.5. Human capital ..................................................................................................................................... 145
2.6. System linkages ................................................................................................................................... 165
Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 172
Chapter 3. Government Innovation Policy ................................................................................................ 173
3.1. Introduction to Korean innovation policy ........................................................................................... 173
3.2. Policy-making institutions................................................................................................................... 178
3.3. STI policy and governance .................................................................................................................. 184
3.4. Research funding ................................................................................................................................. 195
3.5. HRST policy........................................................................................................................................ 218
3.6. Knowledge diffusion and linkages ...................................................................................................... 231
3.7. Improving the framework conditions for innovation .......................................................................... 236
3.8. Internationalisation .............................................................................................................................. 245
3.9. Regionalisation .................................................................................................................................... 251
Notes .......................................................................................................................................................... 258
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 259

INTRODUCTION 7
Introduction
Korean Innovation Policy in a Time of Economic Crisis
The research for this review, as well as much of its drafting, was carried out before
the global financial crisis and the earlier commodity price shock had started to take their
toll on Koreas economic growth. An obvious question to ask, therefore, is whether the
analyses and recommendations contained in this review are still relevant. This intro-
duction seeks to answer this question by first sketching out the new economic environ-
ment for Korean innovation policy. It goes on to consider some of the challenges facing
the Korean innovation system before concluding with a set of guiding principles for
innovation policy. As will be apparent, these guiding principles are well aligned with, and
in fact reinforce, much of the analysis and many of the recommendations highlighted in
various parts of this review.
Innovation and the economic crisis

With its heavy dependence on oil and other commodity imports and its export-
oriented manufacturing economy, Korea was hard hit in 2008 by rising commodity prices
and steep declines in demand for its goods in international markets. The Bank of Korea
has reported the economys first year-on-year decline in quarterly growth since the Asian
financial crisis of 1997-98, with GDP falling 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2008 against a
year earlier. Exports slumped by 12% in the same period, with semiconductor shipments
especially suffering, while manufacturing output was also down 12%. These figures are
clearly disturbing, with few prospects for improvement until a worldwide economic
recovery begins to take hold.
In the meantime, corporate profits continue to be squeezed, which in turn results in
declining growth in investment. Investments in R&D and innovation are unlikely to be
immune from these pressures. Indeed, longitudinal analysis shows that investments in
R&D and innovation are pro-cyclical and thus rise and fall in line with GDP growth. The
major reason is that such investments, more than most other types, are financed from cash
flow, which contracts, along with demand, in times of recession. Furthermore, invest-
ments by banks, markets, venture capitalists and the like are sensitive to the business
cycle, and this exacerbates the shortage of investment funding for innovation. The crisis
is also increasing unemployment levels. With falling demand in Koreas export-oriented
high-technology industries, mass layoffs of skilled human resources are a growing threat.

8 INTRODUCTION
Policy responses past, present and future

These developments present serious challenges to innovation policy, particularly as
the business sector accounts for one of the highest proportions of national R&D spending
in the OECD area and employs three-quarters of all researchers. A significant part of this
activity and the jobs it supports are under threat as the economic crisis deepens. Korea
has faced similar challenges before, most notably during the Asian financial crisis of the
late 1990s, which led to significant down-scoping and downsizing by large firms. That
crisis was characterised by mass layoffs of highly skilled personnel and large reductions
in corporate R&D spending. The response of the Korean government was to increase
public R&D budgets, in order to offset declines in corporate R&D spending. But it also
promoted the development of a technology-based SME sector. This involved putting in
place a co-ordinated mix of policy measures, including: regulations (the government used
the crisis as an opportunity to overhaul regulations and to create a more positive
environment for venture start-ups and their growth); venture financing (government-
backed venture funds and tax incentives to investors); and research support (e.g. R&D
funding, tax waivers, tariff exemption for R&D equipment, and military service
exemptions for researchers).
These measures fuelled a rapid expansion in the number of corporate R&D labs
(which numbered about 3 000 at the time of the crisis and reached about 9 000 by 2001).
SMEs accounted for 95% of the increase. On the eve of the crisis, there were around 100
venture firms in Korea. By the end of 1999, there were over 5 000, and by the end of
2001, they numbered over 11 000. The long-term effects of these measures have been
striking. In 1997, SME spending accounted for just 12% of total business R&D, but by
2006, it had increased to 24%. Of course, this success cannot be explained by policy
intervention alone. The worldwide shift to a digital economy and the rapid growth of
information and communications technology provided exceptional business opportunities
for those with technology and ideas notably researchers laid off by large Korean firms.
Nevertheless, without the governments intervention, it is difficult to see how this could
have occurred.
The causes of the crisis facing Korea today are quite different from those that shaped
the previous crisis. Yet the effects are likely to be rather similar in some respects, with
deep cuts in business R&D and innovation activity a real possibility, along with mass
layoffs of researchers and other highly skilled human resources. Until now, the Korean
government has responded to the crisis with a broad range of policy measures, including
macroeconomic stimulus and regulatory reform. New measures for science and innova-
tion have not figured prominently in this stimulus package, although some of the stimuli
and reforms that have been announced may have a positive bearing on innovation. The
Korean governments efforts in the regard, like those of other OECD governments, have,
understandably, sought to deal with the immediate threat of financial and economic
collapse, with longer-term growth prospects a secondary concern. Furthermore, the
Korean government had already committed itself to considerable expansion of the science
base before the crisis took hold. This included proposals for sizeable injections of new
funding, construction of new research and innovation infrastructures, and a renewed
emphasis on developing a green economy. In this sense, Korea was somewhat ahead of
the curve, with many other OECD governments only now in the midst of the economic
crisis making similar commitments.

INTRODUCTION 9
Nonetheless, several challenges directly related to science and innovation lie ahead,
most notably the ability to manage an STI landscape marked by expected declines in
business R&D and innovation activity, and a concomitant depreciation of human capital
as a result of rising unemployment levels. Direct government spending on R&D will only
partly offset these developments and a broader perspective will be required, with, for
example, a focus on development of appropriate new skills and on new firm creation.
There are also risks that some of the necessary reforms highlighted in this review will be
postponed, which could ultimately hamper progress towards a sustainable recovery.
Guiding principles for innovation policy

Against this background, the following guiding principles should inform innovation
policy interventions:
At the political level, it is important to maintain a steadfast commitment to existing
proposals for expanding science and innovation, as this will lay the ground for
sustainable recovery in the post-crisis era. Ensuring that economic stimulatory
measures take account of the longer term will be important in this regard, as this
will provide a natural policy space for science and innovation to feature
prominently on political agendas.
From a shorter-term perspective, implementation of certain policy measures and
programmes should be accelerated as part of a wider package of stimulatory
measures. These should be carefully selected to maximize the short-term impact on
demand, but also to minimise the risk of wasting public money by rushing projects
that require more time to plan and implement. Moreover, the use of existing
programmes and agencies should be favoured as they do not require the long lead
times needed for new programmes and agencies to become effective.
With levels of BERD expected to fall, public funding should be selectively used to
increase direct support to firms R&D, while taking care to minimise the crowding
out of private investment that would have occurred anyway. Again, existing
programmes and agencies are probably best placed to funnel such expenditure
increases. Furthermore, rises in direct funding of firm R&D should be used,
wherever reasonably possible, to deepen and extend interactions between the
public and private sectors. Such public-private partnerships increase the resilience
of R&D efforts as their financing can be rebalanced over the business cycle.
Innovative clusters often involve such public-private partnerships and offer
important platforms for organising complementarities and mutual exchanges
between new and established firms and public-sector knowledge producers
(universities, GRIs, etc.). The government should target such agglomerations as
they provide an important conduit for reaching new and small players directly
through the funding of existing (shovel-ready) projects.
Public procurement of innovative goods and services may further increase in
importance as a stimulant to innovation. The government should, wherever
possible, accelerate and expand its programmes in this area, many of which could
usefully involve public-private partnerships.

10 INTRODUCTION
At the same time, a short-term focus on existing programmes and industries should
not compromise the necessary shift towards a more balanced portfolio of support
measures that broaden Koreas industrial specialisation over the longer term.
Certainly, some compromise is necessary to cushion the immediate effects of the
crisis, as there are trade-offs between short-term impacts and long-term benefits
and between support to existing firms and activities and promotion of new firms
and activities. But adopting a balanced scorecard approach, which should see
significant investments directed towards green investments and services innova-
tion, will be important for achieving long-term prosperity.
A particular danger is that challenges such as educational reform and gender
mainstreaming will slip down the STI policy agenda. This should be avoided, as
such reforms are necessary for the long-term health and sustainability of the
Korean innovation system. Furthermore, the crisis intensifies the need for more
closely linked policy making between the various ministries and agencies
responsible for innovation policy. This is especially the case for the two wings of
MEST, which still seem to function in separate spheres, and for closer co-
ordination between MEST and MKE.
Finally, layoffs and unemployment of the highly skilled will be an inevitable
consequence of the downturn. To prevent human capital lying idle and
depreciating during the crisis, the government should bolster its entrepreneurship
policies to aid new business start-ups. Furthermore, flexible approaches to lifelong
learning for the employed as well as the unemployed should be further
encouraged.
In summary, the imperative for the Korean government is to maintain its strong
commitment to research and innovation, to keep to its reform agenda, and to navigate a
course that balances short-term and long-term considerations in an appropriate manner
during this time of crisis.
Review outline
This review is divided into three main chapters. Chapter 1 reviews Koreas innovation
performance and examines structural features of the Korean economy, recent
macroeconomic performance and the framework conditions for innovation. While the
chapter highlights many positive aspects of Koreas performance, it also points to a
number of imbalances, including the traditional dominance of the chaebol in research and
innovation, the productivity gap between services and manufacturing, the diversity in
levels of regional economic development, and the relatively low levels of internationali-
sation in the economy. A final section assesses Korean performance in science,
technology and innovation and benchmarks it against the performance of leading OECD
economies.
Chapter 2 presents the main features of the Korean innovation system, beginning with
an overview of the role of large firms and SMEs in innovation and their performance. The
chapter then turns to the public sector, assessing the contribution and performance of the
GRIs and HEIs. The second part of the chapter moves from an assessment of system
actors to consideration of a few chosen elements of the system. A first is human resources
for science and technology and issues of supply and demand. A second is the linkages
between the various actors of the Korean innovation system, which are assessed in terms
of their strength and coherence.

INTRODUCTION 11
In light of the characterisation and assessment of the first two chapters, Chapter 3
considers the appropriateness and performance of Korean innovation policy. It begins
with a short history of Korean innovation policy, highlighting the issues that dominate the
contemporary policy agenda. The main policy-making institutions are then described,
together with an examination of the way policy is co-ordinated and governed. The various
funding programmes for research are then discussed, as is Korean HRST policy. This is
followed by consideration of more demand-side policies. The final sections of the chapter
take a spatial perspective by considering policy efforts aimed at promoting the inter-
nationalisation and regionalisation of science and innovation.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13
Overall Assessment and Recommendations
Korea has performed exceptionally well over the last few decades in its efforts to
catch up with the worlds leading economies, and it has instigated waves of industrial
upgrading to become a world leader in some of the most high-technology industries.
Historically, the Korean form of catch-up was shaped by strong state leadership, a state-
controlled banking system, and the dominance of the chaebol large, highly diversified,
family-owned companies. Substantial increases in capital and labour, driven by the
highest rate of business investment in the OECD area, a growing population, a long
working-hours culture, and rising participation in the labour force, were the main drivers
of growth.
In the wake of the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 which hit Korea particularly
hard the catch-up model was revised, with significant restructuring of the chaebol and a
reduced leadership role for the state. The economy rebounded, the recovery was swift,
and today, Koreas per capita income is around 70% of the OECD average. The chaebol
succeeded in accessing and exploiting international markets and sources of technology in
order to achieve the export-driven economic growth which has seen Korea transform a
trade deficit of USD 3 billion in 1997 into a trade surplus of USD 33 billion in 2006.
Moreover, the proportion of high- and medium-high-technology products among Koreas
exports has grown sharply since the early 1990s, owing to the development of substantial
technological capabilities in a number of high-technology areas. Korean firms now have
the largest world market share in DRAM semiconductors, TFT-LCD and CDMA cellular
phones.
This success has few parallels around the world. Yet, at the same time, Korea is
entering a new and critical phase in its development and there are few guarantees of
continuing success. With the growth of labour and capital inputs already slowing,
continued convergence to the OECD average based on input-based growth will become
more difficult. Furthermore, with the lowest fertility rates in the OECD area and increasing
competition from newly industrialising countries, especially China, Korea faces new
challenges. More than ever, sustaining economic growth will depend upon boosting
innovation.
Korean innovation policy seeks to accelerate the shift from a catch-up to a
creative innovation system, as articulated in the 2004 Implementation Plan for the
National Innovation System. The catch-up model centred upon large-scale strategic
technology development with government-affiliated research institutes and large global
conglomerates taking the leading role. It has not been conducive to the creation of
innovative start-ups, to technology transfer, or to building basic research capabilities, all
of which are increasingly important as Korea moves towards knowledge frontiers. The
creative model instead relies upon greatly increased spending on R&D by both the
public and private sectors and upon attempts to improve knowledge flows and
technology transfer across the system. Under this model, innovation policy also seeks to

14 OVERALL ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
address regional imbalances in the national economy, with a rich portfolio of programmes
designed to develop innovation capacities outside of the Seoul metropolitan region.
While this shift in innovation policy appears broadly appropriate, it is worth recalling
that earlier policy goals articulated in various policy statements stretching back to the
1990s were broadly similar. In other words, while there has been a general awareness of
the general direction in which the innovation system needs to move, certain lock-ins
hamper its evolution. These include the still dominant role of the chaebol, despite efforts
to improve the innovation capacity of SMEs; an over-emphasis on short-term, industrially
oriented research at the expense of longer-term, fundamental research; a weakly
developed research capacity in the universities; lagging productivity in services;
relatively weak internationalisation of the domestic research system; and under-utilisation
of labour resources, particularly women. None of these problems is easy to resolve
quickly, particularly as many are legacies of past successes. However, if Korea is to
achieve full convergence with the leading OECD economies, the Korean government will
need to redouble efforts to shift the innovation system to a more creative mode.
Main strengths and weaknesses of Koreas innovation system
It is important to take specific aspects of Koreas history, geopolitical features, and

cultural and institutional characteristics into account when assessing the current state of
the innovation system and when determining the feasibility of policy responses to new
challenges and opportunities:
In a relatively short time, Korea has changed from a backward agricultural
economy into one of the worlds most modern industrial economies. This
transformation has been underpinned by a strong, mobilising national vision which
is widely shared by government, business and the population at large.
Korea occupies a unique geopolitical position between two economic superpowers
which have presented both opportunities and threats throughout its history. This
influences the Korean psyche as has the continuing division of the Korean
peninsula and encourages a strong sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
Perceived external opportunities and threats are implicitly mobilised to strengthen
the drive to meet the development challenge.
Korea has few natural resources and is heavily dependent upon imports for energy
and raw materials. Thus, one of the main driving forces behind Koreas trans-
formation has been investment in human capital. A socio-cultural eagerness for
education, rooted in longstanding Confucian educational values, has contributed to
strong demand for education.
Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
Main strengths
Strong commitment from the outset to technology-based economic development.
There has been strong support from successive governments as well as a national
consensus on the importance of science, technology and innovation (STI) as
drivers of future socioeconomic growth.

High levels of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD). GERD amounted to a

little under USD 30 billion in 2006, or 3.23% of GDP, one of the highest levels in
the world.
High levels of business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD). The private sector
is by far the biggest R&D player, accounting for around three-quarters of Korean
GERD.
A highly educated labour force. In international assessments of school education,
Korea ranks very high in reading, mathematics and science. More than any other
country, Korea has ensured that virtually all students complete secondary
education, and has moved towards universal tertiary education.
Strong willingness to learn from failures and to learn from others. Korea has
benefited from accelerated learning owing to its openness to learn from failure and
its ability to assess policy options based upon international good practices.
Good and improving framework conditions for innovation. In the wake of the
Asian financial crisis, the Korean government introduced strong competition
policy and further liberalised product and labour markets, thereby improving the
conditions for innovation.
High degree of interest in science and technology. Korean society is a ready
adopter of new leading-edge technologies, and more young people study for
science and engineering degrees in Korea than in any other OECD country.
Large firms that are internationally competitive. Several leading Korean chaebol,
such as Samsung, Hyundai Motors and LG, have become important transnational
corporations with operations across the globe and leading-edge technologies.
Exceptional fast-followers. Korean industry is renowned for its ability to combine
opportunities in fast-moving markets and rapid technological change.
Capability to produce talent. Korea has an exceptionally large number of talented
people in the arts, sciences and sport.
Strong ICT infrastructure. Korea has one of the worlds highest rates of broadband
penetration and is rolling out one of the worlds most advanced mobile communi-
cations networks. This has created domestic demand, which in turn has led to the
development of new industries.
Main weaknesses
Nascent but still lagging capacities to conduct fundamental research. Korea is a
relative newcomer to fundamental research and needs to bolster its capacities in
this area, particularly in the university sector. Universities employ around 70% of
all doctorates in Korea, yet account for just 10% of Korean spending on research.
System linkages. As in most OECD countries, system linkages in Korea could be
stronger. However, mutual distrust and a lack of understanding between the
government research institutes (GRIs) and the universities inhibit the development
of closer and mutually beneficial linkages.

Teaching styles. High school curricula place too much emphasis on preparation for
the national university entrance exam and rely heavily on rote learning. This leaves
little room for creative thinking and the emergence of an exploratory spirit.
Tertiary education offerings. With a few notable exceptions, universities are
comprehensive rather than specialised. As a result, many courses are mediocre at
best and do not challenge students sufficiently.
Under-utilisation of female labour. At around 30%, the graduation rate of women
in science and engineering (S&E) is close to the OECD average. However, women
make up only 13% of Korean researchers, the lowest level in the OECD.
Weak performances in the services sector. Services currently make a very marginal
contribution to aggregate productivity growth in Korea, although they account for
around half of Korean GDP and more than 60% of employment.
Relatively weak SMEs. Koreas economic growth has been led by the chaebol. This
industrial structure offered some advantages during rapid catch-up but has left a
legacy of relatively weak SMEs.
Unbalanced regional development. Economic activities in Korea are concentrated
in the Seoul metropolitan area. This creates serious geographical imbalances in the
national economy.
Weak international linkages. Very little R&D carried out in Korea is financed from
abroad, linkages with foreign firms and institutions are relatively weak, and few
foreign researchers and students come to Korea to work or study. This suggests
that Korea may not draw sufficiently on the growing global stock of knowledge.
Limited policy co-ordination. As most government ministries have their own
research policies and funding programmes, co-ordination of the Korean govern-
ments interventions and activities has proven difficult. The problem has been
compounded by strong rivalries between the main ministries, which have resulted
in some duplication of policies and programmes and insufficient inter-ministerial
co-operation.
Legacy of dirigisme. While the national innovation system (NIS) concept has been
adopted to frame Korean innovation policy, many policies and programmes remain
mission-oriented rather than diffusion-oriented. Selection and targeting of strategic
industries and technologies still receive high priority while measures to upgrade
the innovation system are given less attention.
Threats and opportunities

Continuing high dependency on natural resource imports, particularly hydro-
carbons. Korea is the worlds fourth largest importer of oil, so that its economy is
highly sensitive to oil price fluctuations. Growing uncertainties surrounding supply
and prices may cause serious problems, at least in the short term, but might also
usefully spur the development of new technologies that could ultimately form a
basis for export-oriented growth.

Competition from China and other newly industrialising countries. Korea is

increasingly challenged by China in many industries in which it currently enjoys
competitive advantages. At the same time, Korea has benefited significantly from
economic development in China and other newly industrialising economies. Thus,
potential threats could become opportunities by providing new markets for Korean
exports and manufacturing, spurring domestic industrial upgrading, and accelera-
ting a shift towards the development of a more knowledge-intensive economy.
Low fertility rates and an ageing society. Koreas fertility rate, the lowest in the
OECD area, is likely to halve the current potential GDP growth rate by 2030, and
it will lead to an elderly society. This demographic pressure could be channelled to
increase productivity and to improve female workforce participation rates.
Regional geopolitical developments. The uncertain direction of such develop-
ments, particularly as regards North Korea, creates a sense of unease in the region.
Over-specialisation. The heavy concentration of R&D and innovation activities in
a few economic sectors, particularly ICTs, contributes to a dualism in the Korean
economy and may not provide a broad enough base to promote convergence to
income levels in the most advanced OECD countries.
International trade environment. Korea is heavily dependent upon exports for
economic growth and would be affected by major disturbances in the international
trading system, as a result, for example, of a major economic recession or increased
protectionism.
Growing Korean diaspora. Many graduate students are choosing to remain
overseas particularly in the United States after completing their PhDs, partly
because of fewer opportunities for post-doctoral positions in Korea. There is a risk
that many will never return to Korea and constitute a growing brain drain.
However, as Korean science continues to progress, there should be more job
opportunities in Korea. The time spent by young scientists overseas will then prove
an investment for Korea. Those who remain overseas can also constitute a useful
resource for collaboration.
Technological change. Korea has been adept at exploiting technical change,
particularly in the ICT sector, but will need to further develop its capacities to
catch emerging technology waves, for example, in nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Strategic tasks and guiding principles
The main strategic task of Koreas innovation policy is to achieve convergence with
the more advanced OECD economies. It needs to achieve this in the context of declining
fertility rates and increased competition from newly industrialising countries, particularly
China. Korean innovation policy therefore needs to accelerate the shift of the innovation
system away from a catch-up to a more creative model, by supporting more fundamental
research in diverse domains, raising the innovative and absorptive capacities of SMEs,
and better linking up to international sources of knowledge. In accomplishing these tasks,
policy should follow certain guiding principles:

International openness. Korea needs to improve its research systems international

openness in order to better access global knowledge pools. It has targeted
programmes to deal with this, but internationalisation should be part of most
policies dealing with science, technology and innovation.
Diversification. Much of Koreas recent growth has been due to its development
and exploitation of ICTs. Korea should seek to further diversify its economy by
exploiting new growth engines offered by biotechnology, nanotechnology and
other emerging areas of science and technology while strongly building upon
existing strengths.
Shift from economic development programmes towards more public and generic
research. Korea has caught up with the most technologically advanced countries
and has moved towards technological frontiers. It is therefore time to shift from
high levels of public support for industrial R&D towards more public and welfare-
oriented R&D. Moreover, this shift should be taken as an opportunity to increase
the levels of fundamental research carried out in Korea.
Incorporating a long-term perspective when assessing the costs and benefits of
public R&D funding. Policy makers and other innovation actors should better
appreciate that the returns to investment in fundamental research may be largely
intangible and embodied and will take a considerable time to accrue. This also
makes it very difficult to convincingly account for the full spectrum of benefits, at
least in the short term.
Balancing competition with the development of co-operation and trust. A growing
convergence in the types of research and innovation being conducted by different
research performers means that distinctive core competencies and complementarities
are less clear-cut. This has led to greater competition between research performers,
as well as a lack of trust, probably at the expense of greater co-operation. Competi-
tion is no bad thing, but it should be better balanced with co-operation, particularly
between the GRIs and universities.
Systematic and evolutionary approach to the promotion of innovation. A clear
overall strategy should inform policies that affect the dynamics and efficiency of
innovation processes. Such policies should adapt to changes in the global
environment and respond to the evolving needs of actors in innovation. They should
help to improve the performance of the innovation system and sub-systems through
continuous monitoring and assessment rather than define in advance an optimal
innovation structure.
Comprehensive approach to fostering innovation beyond support for R&D and
high technology. To enhance innovation capabilities throughout the economy,
including in non-R&D-based activities, innovation policy should avoid too close a
focus on R&D and high technology. Non-technological or soft innovation
notably in the SME sector, which has particularly weak innovation capabilities
offers considerable opportunities for boosting productivity and income growth.
Moreover, the servicification of manufacturing and the increasing technological
component of services mean that both the manufacturing and services sectors need
common capabilities to increase their knowledge intensity.

Gender mainstreaming. Given the demographic shifts facing Korea in the near
future, it will be imperative to increase female participation rates in science and
technology in order to maintain economic growth. The Korean government should
follow the example of OECD member governments that have introduced a gender
mainstreaming dimension into all of their policies.
Co-ordination in policy. Achieving policy and programme coherence is a difficult
challenge for governments, which are generally not well organised to deal with
cross-cutting policy issues such as innovation. This means viewing government
intervention in terms of the so-called policy mix.
Participatory governance of S&T. As Korean S&T moves towards knowledge
frontiers, it takes on new responsibilities and challenges that will require a
dialogue with society. This should be embodied in a new form of participatory
governance, in which scientists and governments engage in a genuine dialogue
with citizens on S&T developments.
Recommendations
In light of these strategic tasks and guiding principles, and in the context of Koreas
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, this review makes a number of policy
recommendations.
Improve inter-ministerial co-ordination of innovation policy

An important challenge for the Korean government is to improve co-ordination
among the many ministries and agencies with a stake in R&D, and more broadly,
innovation. Previous Korean governments put in place quite elaborate mechanisms to
deal with this issue. These seem to have had some success though problems
undoubtedly remained but were largely abolished by the new government in 2008 in
favour of ministerial consolidation. This consolidation could go only so far and two
super-ministries now have the greatest influence on innovation policy in Korea,
i.e. MEST, which is responsible for the public science base and education; and MKE,
which is responsible for industrial technology R&D and cluster policy.
Build a strong working relationship between MEST and MKE. Given the
ministerial separation of public science and education from industrial R&D, the
Korean government should take steps to ensure a fruitful working relationship
between MEST and MKE. While more space needs to be provided for fundamental
research as argued throughout this review it is also paramount that the public
science base does not become decoupled from an industrial R&D agenda.
Ensure that science and innovation remain prominent on political agendas. Within
MEST and MKE, it will be important to ensure that the science, technology and
innovation agenda is not crowded out by other pressing (and often more short-
term) policy issues. This is a real potential concern in MEST, as international
experience has shown that the coupling of science with education often results in
neglecting the former when the more politically contentious issue of education
demands greater policy attention.

In addition to horizontal co-ordination, vertical lines of co-ordination and accounta-

bility are important for effective innovation policy. Five research councils have been
created for this purpose (recently reduced to three by the new administration), but their
role has been rather limited. Moreover, the assignment of individual GRIs to different
research councils seems to be somewhat arbitrary.
Reconsider the purpose and functioning of the research councils. The Korean
government should consider reorganising them, perhaps along more disciplinary
lines, or possibly merging them into a single body, with a view to increasing their
strategic capability.
Redefine the roles of research performers

The traditional roles of the government research institutes and universities have been
evolving over the last couple of decades and some degree of convergence has been
occurring. The GRIs were originally established to accelerate the adoption and adaptation
of technology by Korean firms, while the universities were concerned primarily with
teaching. In terms of the role of the universities in research, there remains a significant
mismatch between research spending and human resource capabilities the universities
have almost 70% of all Korean doctorates, but perform just 10% of Korean research.
Tackle the mismatch between human resources and research spending in universi-
ties. This should be done urgently, for example, by increasing R&D spending
and/or providing incentives to encourage more doctorates to work in the private
sector or GRIs.
Nurture closer relationships between universities and GRIs. It is clear that there is
still some way to go before Koreas universities become research power-houses.
The funding of research centres and plans to attract leading foreign scientists to set
up research groups will surely make useful contributions, but reaching that goal
will take considerable time. A supplementary strategy might be the development of
closer relationships between the universities and the GRIs, as this might offer an
accelerated path to raising the research capacities of the universities. Such relation-
ships could range from relatively loose co-operation to full mergers between
institutions. The Korean government should review the benefits and feasibility of
such options, drawing upon international experiences in developing such relations.
Ensure that research spending increases in the universities do not create ivory
towers. The government is broadly right to increase the number of small, non-
mission-oriented grants available, as this will benefit the individual researchers and
small groups commonly found in universities and should allow for carrying out
more curiosity-driven research. However, the availability of such grants should not
substitute for the more mission-oriented research currently performed in universi-
ties. Simply put, Korean university researchers (with a few notable exceptions)
need to become more active in research, and any additional research funding
should translate into more research being carried out.
While there is a high degree of consensus on the need to enhance universities
research intensity, the role of the GRIs is still much debated. Several alternative (and non-
exclusive) future orientations each with its pros and cons have been proposed:
i) supporting technological development in SMEs; ii) moving away from industrially
oriented R&D and towards public and welfare research; iii) concentrating on platform
technologies; iv) leading Koreas shift towards more fundamental research; and

v) working in areas of interdisciplinary and fusion research. In addition, various options

for the institutionalisation of the GRIs are regularly discussed. These range from merging
and breaking up different institutes to revising their ministerial location. More radical
proposals are also sometimes discussed, including privatisation and merger with
universities.
Acknowledge the variety of GRIs when planning reforms. There is a great deal of
variety among the GRIs, with different types of organisations facing different
issues which require different policy responses. The government should be
sensitive to these differences when formulating policy vis--vis the GRIs and
should consider the future of each institute on a case-by-case basis.
Expect the GRIs to play a multiplicity of roles. The GRIs should not be pigeon-
holed into performing a single function even if this gives the appearance of overall
system untidiness. Rather, they can play multiple roles in innovation systems,
something that policy should acknowledge.
Learn from international experience to strengthen relationships between GRIs and
universities. Different models of university-GRI co-existence are to be found
around the world and adoption of any of these would need to be suitably adapted to
the Korean context.
Make access to GRIs (and other public) research infrastructure more open. Large-
scale public research facilities and equipment are frequently criticised for being
ineffectively and inefficiently used. These infrastructures should be more widely
opened up to both public- and private-sector research actors.
Understand the benefits of fundamental research

With limited resources available during Koreas catch-up phase, the government
carefully targeted certain areas and sought tangible (often short-term) returns from its
investments in R&D. With the large budget increases recently announced for fundamental
research, expectations on returns to investment need to shift. Although it appears to be
appreciated that a turn to more fundamental research is unlikely to provide immediate,
tangible returns, research performers are nevertheless under pressure to demonstrate early
outcomes from their R&D activities, particularly as these results have become important
assessment criteria in national evaluation efforts. The substantial growth in public R&D
investment has been accompanied by dramatic increases in GRIs and universities rates
of scientific publication and patenting in recent years. However, there is suspicion that
some of this growth is due to over-publication and over-patenting, as evidenced by the
marginal growth in citation rates and relatively low levels of technology transfer.
Better reflect the varied contribution of R&D in national evaluation efforts. To
minimise unwanted behaviour, such as over-patenting, national evaluations should
better appreciate the varied contributions that higher education institutions and
GRIs make to innovation. The scope and effects both intended and unintended
of the elaborate programme evaluation arrangements rolled out over the last three
to four years should now be reviewed.

Make greater use of the Korean diaspora in the national evaluation system. While
Korea makes extensive use of expert review panels in its evaluations, international
reviewers are rare owing to language barriers. Greater use of English might help,
but perhaps more reasonably, the growing Korean diaspora might bring a useful
international dimension to the review process.
The technological progress of firms particularly the chaebol and high-technology
SMEs helps drive the need for more fundamental research, but the need is also due to
the growth and maturity of Koreas scientific endeavours and the demand for more
sophisticated infrastructure and greater levels of support. Many of these demands are
legitimate, given that investment in research infrastructure that makes it possible to carry
out more fundamental research can have real benefits for Koreas socioeconomic
development. However, the validity and value to Korea of such investments should be
considered carefully on a case-by-case basis.
Carefully assess proposals for large research infrastructures to ensure their
appropriateness and adaptability. Calls for large new infrastructures should be
judged on their merits, bearing in mind that many OECD countries with a longer
history of funding and conducting fundamental research have sometimes had
difficulties in ensuring the relevance of such research.
Recognise the strategic nature of much fundamental research. Fundamental
research should not be solely equated with curiosity-driven research. In fact,
fundamental research is often carried out in the context of strategic missions. In
many instances, an ex ante assessment of the contribution of fundamental research
to a mission should be possible, even if there are practical difficulties in measuring
its contribution ex post.
Promote innovation in the business sector

The Korean government provides relatively generous tax credits to firms that conduct
R&D. On top of this, direct government research funding accounts for around 5% of
BERD an average figure for OECD countries. However, more than 50% of government
research spending in the public sector is directed at industrial development one of the
highest levels in the OECD. The government is also active in implementing policies and
programmes that deal with a broader range of innovation-related issues, such as venture
financing, skills development, industry-academic collaboration, and cluster agglomera-
tion. However, government policy intervention needs to be sensitive to two important
divides in the innovation performance of the Korean business sector: first, the divide
between the chaebol and SMEs; and second, the divide between manufacturing and
services.
On the first divide, SME innovation performance still falls far short of that of the
chaebol. This may improve in future, as the amount of R&D carried out by SMEs grew
almost fivefold from 1997 to 2006 and now amounts to almost one-quarter of Korean
BERD. Government incentive schemes, including R&D funding, tax waivers, tariff
exemption for R&D equipment, and military service exemption for researchers, have
fuelled much of this rapid expansion. The chaebol are also playing a more supportive role
in the development of a vibrant SME sector. This is because supplier companies have had
to substantially enhance their R&D capabilities in order to meet the increased techno-
logical demands of chaebol working at the technological frontier. Furthermore, as the
chaebol continue to source technologies internationally, Korean SMEs are looking to

reduce their dependency on a single chaebol and to diversify their customer base. To
succeed, they need to be internationally competitive. But emerging Chinese competition
means that Korean firms have less scope to rely upon price competitiveness and have to
improve the functionality and quality of their products; this obliges them to innovate.
Continue support for innovation efforts in SMEs while acknowledging the limits of
public intervention. The target of government support for firm innovation has
shifted away from large firms and towards SMEs, a shift that would seem to be
broadly appropriate. The government has had some success in supporting the
development of SME capability, as well as in improving the conditions for innova-
tive start-up companies. Government policy should continue along this path, while
taking into account the limits and opportunities offered by wider Korean industrial
dynamics.
Further streamline the various schemes on offer to support innovation by SMEs.
Many policies and programmes are targeted at SMEs, and the government now
directly funds more research in SMEs than in large firms. However, the schemes
on offer should be further streamlined as their number and scope cause confusion.
In terms of the divide between manufacturing and services, productivity growth in
manufacturing has soared in recent years but continues to stagnate in services. The
services sector accounted for just 7% of BERD in 2006, one of the lowest rates in the
OECD. A productive and competitive services sector is important to underpin the
performance of the manufacturing sector. Yet, consulting services, which are widely
regarded as important to innovation, are poorly developed in Korea, largely on account of
an industrial structure dominated by the self-contained chaebol and a domestic market for
services relatively closed to international competition.
Consider ways in which innovation in services might be enhanced. The Korean
government should implement new policies and programmes that specifically
target innovation in the services sector as a means of broadening the basis for
future socioeconomic growth.
Broaden areas of specialisation

There appears to be a degree of lock-in in Korean R&D, as evidenced by the large
role played by ICT and physical engineering in research specialisation and scientific
publication. This situation is aligned with, and contributes to, Koreas current industrial
strengths, particularly as much public research spending is still directed at industrial
R&D. However, Korea needs to diversify its competitive advantage through investments
in new knowledge-intensive fields with high-growth potential.
Strike a better balance between supporting existing industrial champions and new
growth engines. MEST has announced its intention to decrease the proportion of
public funding of R&D in ICT and manufacturing engineering and to make more
money available to areas like bioscience, nanotechnology, space science, etc.
However, since much of the public research budget originates in mission-oriented
ministries (especially MKE), MESTs ability to enact such a shift is limited.
Improved co-ordination across government will be required to ensure that a better
balance between fields can be attained.

Formulate a set of more welfare-oriented grand challenges for research. These

should be used to diversify away from over-investment in relatively short-term
industrially oriented research, and could also fit well with the targeted approach
familiar to Korean R&D.
Increase the use of small grants to diversify the research base. Diversification
efforts should be sensitive to the funding needs of the individual researcher or
small research groups in universities, who would prefer small grant funding in
order to build up their research capacities. These investments need not be restricted
to bottom-up funding schemes but can be extended to top-down managed
programmes as well.
Promote innovation in services as a future key growth engine. As highlighted
elsewhere, special attention should be given to supporting innovation in services,
which is already Koreas largest employer by far yet suffers from low levels of
productivity.
Improve the contribution of tertiary education to innovation

Education and skills development have been at the heart of Koreas success in
transforming itself into a leading industrial economy. However, the education system that
has developed over the years now needs to adapt to the new challenges facing Korea. The
focus of this transformation lies in tertiary education and a better balance between the
supply of and demand for graduates with the particular skills and knowledge required to
meet economic and societal needs. Overall, there are too many people with bachelors
degrees and too few technicians and people with postgraduate qualifications in high-
technology fields. Moreover, the strong and overly rigid hierarchy of Korean universities
has a powerful influence on success in careers and social status. Unfortunately, the
resulting competition for places in the leading universities has not led to differentiation
and specialisation but to a system in which universities generally offer the same broad
profile of academic programmes. Moreover, the system is overly geared towards young
people, and there is insufficient flexibility in course design that would allow for greater
participation of older age groups.
Continue policy efforts that encourage universities to specialise. The government
has sought to raise standards by encouraging higher education institutions (HEIs)
to specialise, preferably in fields in which graduates are likely to find local
employment opportunities (not least to ease the pressure on Seoul). This runs
counter to the expansionary tendencies of many institutions, but would seem to be
the right policy and should therefore be continued and even extended more
aggressively.
Provide incentives to help make courses responsive to the skills needs of Korean
business and society. Korean firms currently indicate one of the highest levels of
dissatisfaction with the quality of graduates. However, many HEIs are now
increasingly working with firms and local governments on the redesign of
curricula and all should be encouraged to do so. This enhances their receptiveness
to demand signals and helps raise standards.

Ensure that competition among HEIs is based upon reliable information about the
results and performance of their faculties and/or departments. The 2008 intro-
duction of the University Information Disclosure System with information on
graduate employment rates, enrolment rates, full-time faculty rates, scholarship
provision, research achievements, curricular operation and school management is
a welcome development. However, assessments that centre on individual depart-
ments or faculties should also be developed so as to make known the specialised
strengths of HEIs.
Use periodic assessment of faculty and/or departmental research performance to
reinforce the link between research and graduate education. Large numbers of
postgraduate students in Korea are trained in faculties that do not engage
extensively in research. To address the problem of the resulting lack of connection
between research and education, departmental or faculty research should be
assessed, so that prospective students and funding agencies have access to good
information on their research strengths and quality.
Raise the status of vocational training awards and the institutions in which they
can be earned. As the strong demand for bachelors degrees is unlikely to diminish
soon, consideration should be given to making awards for vocational training
equivalent to bachelors degrees.
Offer further incentives to education providers to develop more flexible lifelong
learning programmes. University and junior college courses should be made more
flexible to allow learners to study part-time while in employment. At the same
time, employers and employees should be encouraged to engage in lifelong
learning activities.
Improve female participation rates in science and engineering

Simply from an economic perspective and given imminent demographic shifts, there
is an urgent need to get more women into science and engineering careers. While the
graduation rates of women in S&E subjects is close to the OECD average, many fail to
take up employment in the field. Comprehensive government policy in this area is
relatively new but is wide-ranging and reflects a high degree of international learning. In
addition to programmes aimed at attracting more females to S&E careers, recruitment
targets have been set for some parts of the public sector, along with favourable point
systems for research project selection. There are signs that these policies are having some
effect, but progress is rather slow and from a low base.
Introduce gender mainstreaming across all areas of S&T policy. This will
demonstrate the Korean governments seriousness about giving female partici-
pation in S&T the highest priority.
Provide a mix of regulations and incentives to encourage the private sector to
utilise and support women in S&T. With most researchers employed by the private
sector, there are limitations on direct government interventions to support women
in S&T. Accordingly, a mix of regulation and incentives should be considered,
including measures such as affirmative action quotas, tax incentives, and the
subsidisation of childcare facilities.

Use the diversification of R&D efforts as an opportunity to bring more women into
S&T. The move to broaden R&D efforts from ICTs and machine engineering to
biosciences, medical sciences and environmental sciences should be used as an
opportunity to increase female participation rates, as these fields tend to be more
female-friendly than the traditional engineering fields in which Korea has so far
been most active.
Improve labour mobility in the research system

A fundamental weakness of the research system concerns labour mobility, which is
low in volume and unidirectional. This is partly due to the dualistic nature of the labour
market; but the high status afforded to university staff is also a factor and has resulted in
an internal brain drain from the GRIs (and to a lesser extent, firms) to universities, with
very little movement in the opposite direction. The resulting lack of labour circulation
tends to hamper knowledge diffusion throughout the innovation system.
Consider ways of further enhancing the status of GRIs so that they are considered
as attractive as universities as places to work. The prospect of increasing
convergence in the working conditions of the GRIs and universities regarding
issues such as job security, career paths and pensions could make the GRIs once
again relatively attractive places in which to work and might increase labour
mobility. However, as long as the status of GRIs is perceived to be lower than that
of universities, movement to the GRIs is likely to remain low. The government
should therefore enhance the status of the GRIs, for example, through investments
in leading-edge facilities and flagship projects.
Decentralise innovation policy in the interests of more balanced growth

Regions and city-regions perhaps offer one of the best levels at which to develop
productive innovation system linkages. However, there are no significant technology-
driven regional clusters beyond the Seoul macro-cluster. This concentration of S&T
resources was taken for granted during Koreas rapid industrialisation process but is
being questioned in the framework of the governments push for balanced development.
Korea needs a variety of policy programmes in order to address regional innovation
deficits, including measures that promote partnerships among regional innovation actors,
which until recently have been relatively weak. Accordingly, a mix of policy measures
from public agencies at both national and regional levels has been enacted to support or
build regional innovation systems. These efforts are, however, fragmented and
insufficiently co-ordinated. Much of the problem arises from the fact that many regional
programmes are centrally administered by national agencies rather than by the regions
themselves. This makes co-ordination at regional level difficult and has prevented the
development of a stronger regional planning and implementation capacity.
Devolve greater responsibility to regions for the design and delivery of regional
innovation policy. The currently separate, but often entangled, policies on clusters,
R&D, regional innovation and education would best be melded into a compre-
hensive policy for regional economic development, with much responsibility for
design and delivery devolved to the regions themselves. This responsibility should
be accompanied by a system of accountability to ensure policy appropriateness and
efficiency and to facilitate inter-regional policy learning.

Conduct a bottom-up strategic audit of regional innovation programmes. Within

the context of greater devolution, there is need for a strategic audit of the various
regional innovation initiatives enacted by different agencies, and efforts should be
made to further develop planning and implementation capacities in the regions.
The Korean government has also sought to engineer the development of a knowledge-
intensive cluster around the Daedeok Science Town complex recently renamed the
Daedeok Innopolis. Whether Daedeok can transform itself from a science cluster into an
innovation cluster is still an open question, though early signs are promising. Perhaps
more controversially, the government is seeking to nurture smaller science-driven clusters
in other regions which have in some cases previously performed little science.
Understand the long-term nature of investments and returns on regional innovation
systems. It is clear that even with government intervention, building research
capability in a region will take considerable time to bear fruit. This is not to say
that such investments should not be made; rather, such investments should be
given due time to show their benefits.
Ensure that an innovation agenda lies at the core of any science-based investments
intended to promote regional development. Without this, the government risks
building cathedrals in the desert, i.e. centres of research excellence that bring
few benefits to the local economy.
Maximise benefits from the internationalisation of R&D

In recent years, as R&D has become increasingly internationalised, it has become
important for countries to open up to and engage in global knowledge production
networks. The Korean R&D system is considered to have been relatively closed to inter-
nationalisation: few foreign scientists work in Korea, few foreign research centres are
located in Korea, and the levels of international research co-operation are low. However,
in other respects, the Korean R&D system has been highly internationalised from its
earliest days, when the newly established GRIs depended for their research personnel
upon enticing Korean scientists back from the United States. This labour mobility has
continued to the present day, with many Koreans choosing to study overseas for their
doctorates, and increasingly for their bachelors and masters degrees, before returning to
Korea to work. The recent acceleration of this outward mobility Korea has more
students studying in the United States than any other country is a growing concern,
since many choose not to return to Korea, at least not right away. Some derive a brain
drain scenario from this and point to the need to improve research and education
opportunities in Korean universities. Others view such developments more positively as
increasing Koreas internationalisation through a process of brain circulation.
The Korean government rightly wants to reduce the risks associated with outward
mobility by encouraging inward mobility. It is redoubling its efforts to improve the
internationalisation of its S&T base and has recently enacted several policy initiatives that
seek to promote international R&D collaboration, attract foreign R&D centres, and attract
human resources in the form of students and skilled researchers to study and work in
Korea. The scale and scope of planned investments (e.g. for the newly announced World
Class University initiative) and the targets being set (e.g. numbers of foreign students)
demonstrate a suitable ambition, albeit against the current situation of low levels of co-
operation, low international investment in the countrys R&D, and few foreign researchers

and students in Korea. If these policy initiatives meet their goals, considerable progress
will have been made in the internationalisation of Korean R&D.
Take advantage of wider system changes to enhance the internationalisation of
Korean R&D indirectly. These changes include a shift towards more fundamental
research, since much international scientific co-operation is in areas of funda-
mental research, and stronger university research capacity, a possible major nexus
of international co-operation and exchange.
Continue to invest in overseas R&D facilities. The Korean chaebol have invested
quite heavily in overseas R&D facilities, particularly in the United States, Europe,
Russia and, increasingly, China. Similar, though more modest, links have been
established by a few public-sector research institutes. All of these are likely to
further enhance the links of Korean research and innovation to global knowledge
networks and should continue to be nurtured.
Improve co-ordination between the internationalisation policies and programmes
of MEST and MKE. Where possible, policies and programmes should be rationalised
to avoid overlaps and to fill gaps.

Summary table: SWOT analysis of the Korean innovation system
Strengths Opportunities
Strong, mobilising national vision Geopolitical positioning in one of the most dynamic regions
of the world
High growth rates in GDP
Free trade agreements
Strong government support for innovation and R&D
Globalisation, including of R&D
Good and improving framework conditions for innovation
Growing Korean S&T diaspora
High ratio of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) to
business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD) Developments in S&T (technological change), particularly
information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and
Highly educated workforce environmental technology and their possible fusion
Good supply of human resources for science and Growth of China and other newly industrialising economies,
technology (HRST) both in the region and worldwide, offering new markets for
Ready early adopters of new technologies Korean exports
Strong ICT infrastructure

Exceptionally fast followers
Strong and internationally competitive firms
Learning society with a capacity to learn from failures and
international good practices
Capability to produce world-class talents
Weaknesses Threats
Underdeveloped fundamental research capabilities and Low fertility rates and an ageing society
weak research capacity in universities
Arrival of strong new competitors in fields in which Korea
Weak linkages between GRIs and institutions of higher excels, e.g. ICTs, particularly from China
education
Geopolitical developments in the region
In education, rote learning, overemphasis upon university
entrance exam, and crippling cost of private education Disruption in the supply of imported natural resources and
energy upon which the Korean economy is highly
Underutilisation of female labour dependent
Low productivity in the services sector Global economic outlook and its consequences for export-
oriented economies
Relatively weak SME sector
Legacy of dirigisme which hampers the development of a
diffusion-oriented innovation policy
Unbalanced international linkages
Uneven development across regions and sectors
Small domestic market (compared to China, Japan,
United States)
Policy co-ordination problems between ministries

VALUATION GNRALE ET RECOMMANDATIONS 31
valuation gnrale et recommandations
En lespace de quelques dcennies, les efforts dploys par la Core pour rattraper les
principales conomies mondiales ont produit des rsultats exceptionnels, grce plusieurs
vagues de modernisation du tissu industriel, qui ont permis au pays de devenir
aujourdhui un leader mondial dans certains des secteurs de trs haute technologie. Le
modle de rattrapage conomique de la Core sest longtemps caractris par le rle
dirigeant des pouvoirs publics, un systme bancaire contrl par ltat et la domination
du secteur industriel par les chaebol ces grandes entreprises familiales trs diversifies.
Laccumulation du capital et laugmentation du volume de travail rendues possibles par
le taux dinvestissement productif le plus fort de la zone OCDE et laccroissement de la
participation au march du travail dune population croissante et dune culture laborieuse
ont t les principaux moteurs de la croissance corenne.
La crise financire asiatique de 1997-1998, qui a touch la Core particulirement
durement, a entrain un inflchissement du modle de rattrapage, notamment une
restructuration profonde des chaebol et une rduction du rle de ltat. La reprise a t
rapide et lconomie a rebondi. Aujourdhui, la Core jouit dun niveau de revenu par
habitant de lordre de 70 % de la moyenne de l'OCDE. Les chaebol ont su accder aux
marchs trangers et aux sources de technologie internationales pour alimenter une
croissance porte par les exportations qui a permis la Core de transformer un dficit
commercial de 3 milliards dUSD en 1997 en un excdent de 33 milliards dUSD en
2006, et de voir la proportion des produits intensit technologique moyenne et
moyenne/haute parmi ses exportations fortement progresser depuis le dbut des annes
90. Ces volutions refltent le dveloppement de capacits technologiques importantes
dans un certain nombre de secteurs intensifs en recherche ; les entreprises corennes
dtiennent maintenant leurs plus grosses parts de march dans les semi-conducteurs pour
mmoire RAM dynamique, la technologie LCD-TFT et les tlphones mobiles CDMA.
Cette russite est presque sans quivalent dans le monde, mais la Core entre
dsormais dans une phase dlicate de son dveloppement, o les chances de succs
durable sont plus incertaines. Il va devenir plus difficile de poursuivre la convergence
vers la moyenne de lOCDE grce une croissance fonde sur laccroissement de la
quantit de facteurs de production, dont le ralentissement est dailleurs dj notable. En
outre, avec les taux de fcondit les plus bas de lOCDE et une concurrence accrue des
nouvelles conomies industrielles, en particulier la Chine, la Core doit faire face de
nouveaux dfis. Plus que jamais, il lui faudra, pour soutenir sa croissance conomique,
stimuler linnovation.
La politique de linnovation en Core vise acclrer la transition dun modle de
type rattrapage vers un systme dinnovation de type cratif ainsi quil est nonc
que le Plan daction pour le systme dinnovation national de 2004. La stratgie de
rattrapage tait axe sur un dveloppement grande chelle des technologies stratgiques,
le rle moteur tant tenu par des instituts de recherche parapublics et de grands conglo-
mrats industriels. Elle na pas t propice aux nouvelles entreprises innovantes ou au

32 VALUATION GNRALE ET RECOMMANDATIONS
transfert de technologies, ou bien encore au renforcement des capacits de recherche

fondamentale, qui sont de plus en plus vitales mesure que linnovation en Core
seffectue plus prs des frontires de la connaissance. Le systme de type cratif requiert
lui un accroissement sensible des dpenses de R-D tant par le secteur public que par le
secteur priv et une amlioration des flux de connaissances et le transfert de technologies
dans lensemble du systme. Lobjectif est galement que la politique de linnovation
contribue rsorber les dsquilibres rgionaux, laide de toute une srie de programmes
destins renforcer les capacits dinnovation en dehors de la rgion mtropolitaine de
Soul.
Si cette nouvelle orientation de la politique de linnovation semble globalement
approprie, il convient de noter que des intentions plus ou moins analogues ont dj t
exprimes dans des dclarations de politique gnrale ds les annes 90. En dautres
termes, la direction gnrale dans laquelle le systme dinnovation doit voluer est
connue, mais certains verrous freinent cette volution, notamment la position toujours
dominante des chaebol en dpit des mesures prises pour renforcer les capacits
dinnovation des PME, limportance excessive accorde une recherche de court terme
vise industrielle, au dtriment de la recherche fondamentale plus long terme, des
capacits de recherche peu dveloppes luniversit, une productivit en perte de vitesse
dans les services, une internationalisation relativement faible du systme de recherche et
une sous-utilisation dune partie de la force de travail, en particulier des femmes. Aucun
de ces blocages nest facile desserrer rapidement, notamment parce que nombre dentre
eux incarnent des russites du pass. Mais si la Core veut parvenir comme elle le
souhaite rejoindre le camp des conomies les plus avances de lOCDE, les autorits
devront redoubler defforts pour orienter le systme dinnovation vers un mode plus
cratif .
Forces et faiblesses principales du systme dinnovation coren
Il est important de prendre en compte des aspects spcifiques de lhistoire du pays,

des facteurs gopolitiques et des caractristiques culturelles et institutionnelles afin
dvaluer la situation actuelle du systme dinnovation et de dterminer la faisabilit des
rponses possibles aux nouveaux dfis et opportunits de la part des pouvoirs publics:
En un laps de temps relativement court, la Core est passe dune conomie
agricole attarde lune des conomies industrielles les plus modernes du monde.
Cette transformation a t inspire par une vision nationale forte et mobilisatrice,
largement partage par les autorits, les entreprises et la population au sens large.
La Core occupe une position gopolitique unique, entre deux superpuissances
conomiques qui lui ont apport des possibilits comme des menaces tout au long
de son histoire. Cette situation tout comme la division de la pninsule corenne
influence le psychisme national et alimente une forte volont dindpendance et
dautosuffisance de la population, pour qui les possibilits et menaces que recle
lenvironnement tranger sont perues implicitement comme autant de raisons pour
uvrer toujours plus en faveur du dveloppement.
La Core possde peu de ressources naturelles et dpend largement des
importations pour son approvisionnement en nergie et ses matires premires.
Lun des principaux moteurs de la transformation du pays a donc t linvestisse-
ment dans le capital humain. Lempressement socioculturel de la population pour
lducation, qui sexplique par des valeurs confucennes profondment enracines

dans la socit, a contribu une forte demande sociale adresse au secteur de

lenseignement.
Analyse des points forts, des faiblesses, des opportunits et des menaces
Atouts principaux
Ds le dpart, un engagement fort au service dun dveloppement conomique
fond sur les technologies : il y a eu un soutien franc de la part des gouvernements
successifs ainsi quun consensus national quant limportance de la science, de la
technologie et de linnovation (STI) en tant que moteurs de la croissance socio-
conomique.
Des niveaux levs de dpense intrieure brute de R-D (DIRD) : la Core a
dpens prs de 30 milliards dUSD dans la R-D en 2006, soit 3.23 % du PIB, lun
des niveaux les plus levs au monde.
Des niveaux levs de dpense intrieure brute de R-D du secteur des entreprises
(DIRDE) : le secteur priv est de loin le principal acteur de la R-D, puisquil
reprsente les trois quarts environ de la DIRDE en Core.
Une main-duvre hautement qualifie : dans les valuations internationales de
lenseignement scolaire, la Core se classe dans le groupe de tte en compr-
hension de lcrit, en mathmatiques et en sciences. Plus quaucun autre pays, la
Core est parvenue ce que la quasi-totalit de ses lves achvent leurs tudes
secondaires et tend dsormais vers un niveau de formation suprieure pour tous.
La volont de tirer les leons de ses checs et dapprendre des autres : la Core a
bnfici dun apprentissage acclr des bonnes pratiques grce sa capacit de
tirer parti des checs et celle dvaluer les actions possibles de politique la
lumire de lexprience internationale.
De bonnes conditions-cadres pour linnovation et qui vont en samliorant : aprs
la crise financire asiatique, les autorits corennes ont instaur une politique de la
concurrence solide et ont poursuivi la libralisation des marchs des produits et du
travail, tablissant ainsi des conditions de plus en plus propices linnovation.
Un intrt marqu pour les sciences et les technologies : la socit corenne
adopte trs facilement les nouvelles technologies de pointe et les jeunes Corens
qui poursuivent des tudes scientifiques et dingnierie sont en pourcentage de leur
classe dge plus nombreux que partout ailleurs dans lOCDE.
De grandes entreprises solides et comptitives sur le plan international : plusieurs
grands chaebol corens, tels que Samsung, Hyundai Motors et LG, sont devenus
des socits transnationales importantes qui oprent partout dans le monde et
matrisent des technologies de pointe.
Une ractivit exceptionnelle : lindustrie corenne est rpute pour sa capacit de
conjuguer les opportunits offertes par des marchs en rapide volution avec le
changement technologique.
La capacit de rvler les talents : la Core compte un nombre remarquablement
lev de personnes talentueuses dans les arts, les sciences et les sports.

Une infrastructure des TIC solide : la Core a lun des taux de pntration du haut
dbit les plus levs au monde et possde lun des rseaux de communications
mobiles les plus avancs, ce qui alimente la demande intrieure, qui son tour
contribue au dveloppement de nouveaux secteurs dactivits.
Faiblesses principales
Des capacits de recherche fondamentale croissantes mais toujours nettement
insuffisantes : la Core ne sest aventure que relativement rcemment sur le
terrain de la recherche fondamentale et doit encore renforcer ses capacits dans ce
domaine, en particulier dans le secteur universitaire. Les universits emploient
70 % environ de tous les titulaires de doctorat en Core, mais ne reprsentent
paradoxalement que 10 % peine des dpenses du pays dans la recherche.
Les liens au sein du systme dinnovation : comme dans la plupart des pays de
lOCDE, les relations entre les acteurs du systme dinnovation pourraient tre
plus troits en Core, mais un manque de comprhension et une dfiance
rciproque entre les instituts de recherche publics et les universits empchent
ltablissement de liens plus troits et mutuellement avantageux.
Les styles denseignement : les programmes de lenseignement secondaire sont
exagrment conus pour faciliter la prparation lexamen national dentre
luniversit, et sappuient trop sur lapprentissage par cur, qui laisse peu de place
loriginalit et la curiosit.
Loffre dans lenseignement suprieur : la plupart des universits, quelques
exceptions notables prs, ont une vocation gnraliste et proposent peu de
domaines de spcialisation. Ainsi, de nombreux programmes sont, au mieux,
mdiocres, et peu stimulants pour les tudiants.
Une sous-utilisation de la main-duvre fminine : avec un pourcentage tournant
autour de 30 %, le taux de femmes diplmes en sciences et en ingnierie est
proche de la moyenne de lOCDE, mais les femmes ne reprsentent que 13 % des
chercheurs corens, cest--dire le taux le plus bas de lOCDE.
Un secteur tertiaire relativement peu performant : lheure actuelle, les services
contribuent de manire trs marginale la croissance de la productivit globale en
Core, alors quils reprsentent la moiti environ du PIB coren et plus de 60 % de
lemploi.
Des PME relativement fragiles : la croissance conomique du pays sest appuye sur
les chaebol. Cette structure industrielle a offert certains avantages pour un
rattrapage conomique rapide mais a contribu produire des PME relativement
fragiles.
Un dveloppement rgional dsquilibr : les activits conomiques en Core sont
trs concentres dans la rgion mtropolitaine de Soul, ce qui cre de srieux
dsquilibres gographiques au sein de lconomie nationale.
Des liens internationaux insuffisamment dvelopps : trs peu des activits de R-D
menes en Core sont finances ltranger, les liens avec les entreprises et tablisse-
ments trangers sont relativement faibles et peu de chercheurs et dtudiants
trangers viennent en Core pour travailler ou tudier, ce qui signifie que la Core

ne puise sans doute pas suffisamment dans le fonds de connaissances croissant

lchelle mondiale.
Une coordination dficiente des politiques : la plupart des ministres ayant leurs
propres politiques de recherche et programmes de financement, il se rvle
difficile pour le gouvernement coren de coordonner ses interventions et ses
actions. Les problmes de coordination sont en outre aggravs par une rivalit
exacerbe entre les principaux ministres, qui entrane un chevauchement des
politiques et des programmes ainsi quun manque de coopration interministrielle.
Lhritage du dirigisme : si lide dun systme dinnovation national sest
impose pour modeler la politique de linnovation en Core, la plupart des actions
et des programmes demeurent axs sur les missions et non sur la diffusion. La
slection et le ciblage de secteurs et de technologies stratgiques sont toujours
considrs comme prioritaires, tandis que les mesures visant amliorer le
fonctionnement du systme dinnovation dans son ensemble retiennent moins
lattention.
Menaces et opportunits
Une dpendance toujours forte aux importations de ressources naturelles, en
particulier les hydrocarbures : la Core est le quatrime importateur mondial de
ptrole, de sorte que son conomie est trs vulnrable aux fluctuations du prix du
ptrole. Lincertitude grandissante autour de lapprovisionnement et des prix
pourrait causer de srieux problmes, du moins court terme, mais pourrait
galement motiver la mise au point de nouvelles technologies, qui pourraient en
dfinitive consolider la base dune croissance tourne vers lexportation.
La concurrence de la Chine et dautres conomies industrielles nouvelles : la
Core est de plus en plus concurrence par la Chine dans nombre des secteurs o
elle exploite actuellement ses avantages comparatifs. Dun autre ct, la Core tire
dj largement parti du dveloppement conomique de la Chine et dautres
conomies industrielles nouvelles. Les menaces potentielles pourraient ainsi se
transformer en opportunits et offrir des marchs nouveaux aux exportations
manufacturires corennes, favorisant ainsi la modernisation du tissu industriel
national et acclrant le passage une conomie davantage axe sur le savoir.
Des taux de fcondit faibles et une population vieillissante : la Core affiche le
taux de fcondit le plus bas de lOCDE, ce qui entranera le vieillissement de la
socit et devrait diviser par deux le taux de croissance potentiel actuel du PIB
dici 2030. Cette volution dmographique pourrait tre mise profit pour
amliorer la productivit et rehausser le taux dactivit des femmes.
Les volutions gopolitiques rgionales : il est encore difficile de discerner quels
chemins elles prendront, notamment en ce qui concerne la Core du Nord, ce qui
gnre un sentiment dincertitude dans la rgion.
Une spcialisation excessive : la concentration importante des activits de R-D et
dinnovation dans quelques secteurs conomiques seulement, en particulier les
TIC, se traduit par une forme de dualisme conomique de la Core et pourrait ne
pas offrir une base suffisamment large pour promouvoir la convergence vers les
niveaux de revenu des pays de lOCDE les plus avancs.

Le contexte des changes internationaux : la Core est largement tributaire des

exportations pour sa croissance conomique et serait donc vulnrable toute
perturbation majeure du systme commercial international, cause par exemple par
des rcessions conomiques profondes ou par un renforcement du protectionnisme.
Une diaspora toujours plus nombreuse : de nombreux tudiants en post-licence
choisissent de rester ltranger en particulier aux tats-Unis - aprs avoir
obtenu leur doctorat, en partie parce quil leur est plus difficile dobtenir un poste
de post-doctorat en Core. Le risque est que beaucoup ne reviennent jamais en
Core, ce qui pourrait se solder par une fuite croissante des cerveaux. Cela dit, le
secteur scientifique coren continue progresser et devrait donc offrir davantage
de dbouchs. Le temps que passent les jeunes Corens ltranger aura alors t
un investissement pour la Core, et ceux qui restent ltranger pourraient
galement constituer une source de collaboration utile.
Le changement technologique : la Core parvient parfaitement exploiter le
changement technologique, en particulier dans le secteur des TIC, mais elle devra
renforcer encore ses capacits pour tirer parti des technologies mergentes, telles que
les nanotechnologies et les biotechnologies.
Missions stratgiques et principes directeurs
La principale mission de la politique de linnovation de la Core est de parvenir la

convergence avec les pays de lOCDE plus avancs. Cet objectif doit tre atteint alors que
le taux de fcondit est en recul et que la concurrence saccrot avec les nouvelles
conomies industrielles, en particulier la Chine. La mission plus spcifique de la politique
de l'innovation doit donc tre dacclrer le passage dun systme dinnovation de type
rattrapage un modle plus cratif, en soutenant la recherche fondamentale dans un plus
grand nombre de domaines, en renforant les capacits dinnovation et dabsorption des
PME et en tablissant des liens plus solides avec des sources de connaissances lchelle
internationale.
Pour remplir ces missions, la politique de linnovation doit reposer sur les principes
directeurs suivants :
Louverture internationale : la Core doit ouvrir davantage son systme de
recherche au plan international afin de pouvoir mieux puiser dans les rservoirs de
connaissances mondiaux. Des programmes cibls ont t mis en place pour
amliorer la situation, mais linternationalisation devrait faire partie intgrante de
la majorit des politiques ayant trait la science, la technologie et linnovation.
La diversification : la croissance rcente de la Core sappuie en grande partie sur
le dveloppement et lexploitation des TIC. La Core devrait chercher diversifier
son conomie en exploitant les nouveaux moteurs de croissance offerts par les
biotechnologies, les nanotechnologies et dautres domaines scientifiques et techno-
logiques nouveaux, tout en tirant le meilleur parti possible de ses atouts existants.
Le rquilibrage du soutien public en faveur dune recherche vise publique et
gnrique plutt qu vise purement conomique : la Core ayant rattrap les
pays les plus avancs au plan technologique et cherchant dsormais progresser en
repoussant les frontires du savoir-faire technologique, il est temps pour la
politique dinnovation de faire une place plus grande aux activits de R-D visant le

public et le bien-tre an se consacrant moins exclusivement la promotion de la R-

D industrielle. Cette transition aurait aussi le mrite daccrotre les niveaux de
recherche fondamentale mene en Core.
Ladoption dune perspective long terme pour lvaluation des cots et des
avantages du financement de la R-D publique : il serait souhaitable que les
dcideurs publics et les autres acteurs de linnovation prennent pleinement en
compte le fait que les bnfices des investissements dans la recherche fondamentale
peuvent tre en grande partie immatrielles trs varis dans leur nature et pour
partie insparables dautres retombes de linnovation et quil faudra beaucoup
de temps pour les percevoir pleinement.
Lquilibre entre concurrence et dveloppement de la coopration et de la
confiance : La convergence des types de recherche et dactivits dinnovation
mens par les diffrents acteurs rend moins vidente lidentification de leurs
comptences cls respectives et de leurs complmentarits. Cela a encourag une
concurrence plus vive entre ces acteurs, assortie dun manque de confiance, sans
doute au dtriment dune coopration plus troite. La concurrence entre les
principaux types dacteurs du systme dinnovation nest pas une mauvaise chose
en soi, mais elle doit tre mieux quilibre avec la coopration, notamment entre
les instituts de recherche publics et les universits.
Une approche systmique et volutionniste de la promotion de linnovation : une
stratgie globale claire devrait inspirer lensemble des politiques ayant une
incidence sur la dynamique et lefficience des processus dinnovation. Ces
politiques doivent sadapter lvolution du contexte mondial et rpondre aux
nouveaux besoins des acteurs de linnovation. Elles doivent galement contribuer
lamlioration des performances du systme dinnovation et de ses composantes en
sappuyant sur des mcanismes de suivi et dvaluation continus plutt quen se
fixant pour objectif dtablir une structure optimale prdfinie du systme
dinnovation.
Une approche globale de la promotion de linnovation, au-del du soutien la R-
D et aux hautes technologies : pour renforcer les capacits dinnovation dans
lensemble de lconomie, y compris dans les activits non fondes sur la R-D, il
faut viter une politique de linnovation trop focalise sur la R-D et la haute
technologie. Linnovation non technologique ou soft notamment dans le
secteur des PME, dont les capacits dinnovation sont particulirement faibles
offre de trs grandes possibilits pour stimuler la productivit et la croissance des
revenus. En outre, la tertiarisation du secteur secondaire et la part technologique
croissante des services impliquent que les secteurs secondaire et tertiaire ont besoin
de capacits communes pour sengager plus avant sur la voie dune conomie de la
connaissance.
La prise en compte des questions dgalit hommes-femmes : compte tenu de
lvolution dmographique de la Core, il sera crucial daccrotre les taux
dactivit des femmes dans les secteurs scientifiques et technologiques. Les
autorits corennes devraient suivre lexemple dautres pays membres de lOCDE
qui ont choisi dintgrer les questions dgalit hommes-femmes dans lensemble
de leurs politiques.
La coordination des politiques : il est difficile pour les gouvernements dassurer la
cohrence de leurs politiques et programmes, car ils sont gnralement mal

organiss pour traiter des questions transversales telles que linnovation. Il faut
pour cela envisager lintervention publique comme un dosage quilibr ( policy
mix ) des diffrents instruments daction disponibles.
La gouvernance participative en science et technologie : mesure que la Core
repousse les limites de la connaissance, elle prend de nouvelles responsabilits et
relve de nouveaux dfis qui appellent un dialogue avec la socit. Ce dialogue
devrait sinscrire dans le cadre dun nouveau systme de gouvernance participatif
en science et technologie, qui permette aux scientifiques et aux autorits
dentretenir un dialogue rel avec les citoyens propos des nouveaux dveloppe-
ments en science et en technologie.
Recommandations
la lumire de ces missions stratgiques et de ces principes directeurs, et en

considrant les forces et les faiblesses du systme dinnovation en Core ainsi que les
opportunits et les menaces qui se prsentent lui, cet Examen prsente un certain
nombre de recommandations pour laction publique.
Amliorer la coordination interministrielle de la politique de linnovation

Lune des tches importantes du gouvernement coren est damliorer la coordination
entre les nombreux ministres et agences intervenant dans la R-D et, plus gnralement,
linnovation. Les gouvernements prcdents ont mis en place des mcanismes assez
labors pour rpondre au problme de la coordination, mcanismes qui semblent avoir
eu quelque succs bien que des difficults demeurent manifestement mais qui ont
dans leur majorit t supprims par le nouveau gouvernement en 2008 dans un
mouvement gnral de consolidation ministrielle. Toutefois, cette consolidation ne va
pas se poursuivre indfiniment et il restera toujours deux super-ministres qui ont une
influence majeure sur la politique de linnovation en Core, savoir le Ministre de
lducation, de la science et de la technologie (MEST), qui est charg de la science et de
lducation publiques, et le Ministre de lconomie du savoir (MKE), responsable de la
R-D et de la politique des ples de technologie industrielle.
tablir des relations de travail solides entre le MEST et le MKE. Compte tenu de
la sparation ministrielle entre la science et lducation publiques dune part, et la
R-D industrielle dautre part, le gouvernement coren doit veiller ce que le
MEST et le MKE entretiennent des relations de travail fructueuses. Sil est
manifestement ncessaire daccorder plus de place la recherche fondamentale
sans vise industrielle, ainsi quil est prconis dans cet examen, il est galement
essentiel que le systme scientifique public ne se retrouve pas isol de la R-D
industrielle.
Veiller ce que les sciences et linnovation restent au premier plan des
proccupations politiques. Au sein de chaque ministre largi, il faudra galement
sassurer que les questions relatives la science, la technologie et linnovation
ne sont pas relgues derrire dautres plus pressantes court terme. Cest un
risque rel au MEST, car lexprience internationale montre que lorsquon associe
science et ducation, la premire est souvent nglige au profit de la seconde, qui,
plus pineuse dun point de vue politique, demande une attention constante plus
grande de la part des pouvoirs publics.

Outre une coordination de type horizontal, il est important dtablir des mcanismes
de coordination et de pilotage verticaux afin dobtenir une bonne mise en uvre de la
politique de linnovation adopte. Cinq conseils de recherche (CR) ont t crs cet
effet (depuis peu rduits trois par le nouveau gouvernement), mais leur rle est assez
limit. En outre, laffectation de chaque institut public de recherche tel ou tel CR
semble quelque peu arbitraire.
Rexaminer lobjectif et le fonctionnement des CR. Le gouvernement coren
devrait envisager une rorganisation des CR, peut-tre davantage en fonction des
diffrentes disciplines, ou leur regroupement ventuel au sein dune mme entit
afin de renforcer leurs capacits stratgiques.
Redfinir les rles des acteurs de la recherche

Les rles traditionnels des instituts de recherche publics et des universits ont perdu
progressivement de leur pertinence depuis une vingtaine danne sous leffet dun certain
degr de convergence de leurs missions respectives. Les instituts de recherche publics ont
t crs lorigine pour acclrer ladoption et ladaptation des technologies de pointe
par les entreprises corennes, alors que les universits avaient pour mission essentielle
lenseignement. Sagissant du rle des universits dans la recherche, il demeure un
dcalage important entre les dpenses de recherche et les capacits en ressources
humaines : les universits accueillent prs de 70 % des titulaires de doctorat corens, mais
ne reprsentent que 10 % de la recherche nationale.
Corriger le dcalage entre la quantit de ressources humaines et le montant des
dpenses de recherche de luniversit. Il sagit l dune tche urgente, qui peut
exiger une hausse des dpenses de R-D et/ou des incitations plus puissantes pour
encourager un plus grand nombre de titulaires de doctorat travailler dans le
secteur priv ou dans des instituts de recherche publics.
tablir des liens plus troits entre les universits et les instituts de recherche
publics. Il y a de toute vidence encore des progrs faire avant que les universits
corennes ne deviennent des acteurs majeurs de la recherche. Le soutien financier
aux centres de recherche et les plans visant attirer des scientifiques trangers
minents afin de former des groupes de recherche de premier plan apporteront sans
doute des contributions prcieuses, mais mettront beaucoup de temps porter leurs
fruits. Une stratgie supplmentaire consisterait tablir des relations plus troites
entre les universits et les instituts de recherche publics, ce qui pourrait acclrer le
renforcement des capacits de recherche des universits. Ces liens pourraient tre
de diffrente nature, des plus relativement informels, ou au contraire prendre la
forme dun regroupement total entre les organismes. Les autorits corennes
devraient tudier les avantages et la faisabilit de ces solutions, en sinspirant des
initiatives trangres de rapprochement entre tablissements denseignement
suprieur et organismes de recherche publics.
Veiller ce que laccroissement des dpenses dans la recherche universitaire
nengendre pas des tours divoire . Les pouvoirs publics ont de bonnes raisons
daccrotre le nombre des petites subventions accordes des projets non lis des
missions spcifiques, dans la mesure o cela bnficiera aux chercheurs isols et
aux petits groupes souvent prsents dans les universits, et o cela pourrait
encourager une recherche davantage mue par la curiosit. Toutefois, lexistence de
ces subventions ne doit affaiblir les activits de recherche davantage orientes sur

des missions. Autrement dit, les chercheurs des universits corennes ( quelques
exceptions notables prs) doivent se consacrer plus activement la recherche, et
tout financement supplmentaire dans ce domaine doit se traduire par un
dveloppement effectif des activits relles de recherche.
Si lon saccorde gnralement sur la ncessit de renforcer la recherche
luniversit, le rle des instituts de recherche publics fait toujours dbat. Plusieurs axes
nouveaux (et non exclusifs) chacun avec ses avantages et ses inconvnients ont t
proposs, notamment i) soutenir le dveloppement technologique des PME, ii) passer
dune R-D de type industriel une recherche tourne vers le public et le bien-tre, iii) se
concentrer sur les technologies de plateforme, iv) mener leffort national de renforcement
de la recherche fondamentale, et v) mettre laccent sur des domaines de recherche
interdisciplinaires et transversaux. Paralllement ces axes nouveaux, diffrentes options
concernant la structure des instituts de recherche publics sont rgulirement tudies.
Elles vont du regroupement ou de la division de diffrents instituts jusqu la rvision de
leur tutelle ministrielle. Des propositions plus radicales sont aussi parfois voques,
notamment la privatisation et le regroupement avec les universits.
Prendre en compte la diversit des instituts de recherche publics dans la planifica-
tion des rformes. Les instituts de recherche publics sont trs diffrents les uns des
autres, ils font face diffrents dfis, qui demandent des actions adaptes. Les
pouvoirs publics devraient tenir compte de cette diversit dans la formulation de
leur politique lgard des instituts de recherche publics, et devrait tudier lavenir
de chaque institut au cas par cas.
Attendre des instituts de recherche publics quils remplissent de multiples rles.
Les instituts de recherche publics ne doivent pas tre cantonns une seule
fonction mme si cela se traduit par plus de complexit du systme national de
recherche. Ils ont au contraire de multiples rles jouer dans le systme
dinnovation, ce qui doit tre pris en compte dans la politique dans ce domaine.
Sinspirer des initiatives trangres visant renforcer les liens entre instituts de
recherche publics et universits. Diffrents modles de coexistence entre instituts
de recherche publics et universits ont t appliqus dans le monde et leur adoption
ventuelle doit tre correctement adapte au contexte coren.
Ouvrir davantage laccs aux instituts de recherche publics (et aux autres
infrastructures de recherche publiques). Lutilisation de grands quipements et
installations de recherche publics est souvent critique pour son manque
defficacit et de rentabilit. Ces infrastructures doivent tre plus largement
ouvertes aux acteurs de la recherche du secteur public comme du secteur priv.
Comprendre les avantages de la recherche fondamentale

Disposant de ressources limites pendant la phase de rattrapage conomique, les
autorits corennes ont pris soin de cibler certains domaines et ont cherch obtenir des
retombes concrtes (et souvent court terme) de leurs investissements en R-D.
Toutefois, les hausses budgtaires importantes en faveur de la recherche fondamentale
qui ont t annonces rcemment doivent saccompagner dattentes diffrentes quant aux
retombes de cet investissement croissant. Sil semble admis que le dveloppement de la
recherche fondamentale ne produira sans doute pas de retombes tangibles immdiates,
des pressions sexercent nanmoins sur les acteurs de la recherche pour quils obtiennent
rapidement des rsultats en particulier dans la mesure o ceux-ci sont devenus des

critres dvaluation importants lchelle nationale. La forte progression des investisse-

ments en R-D publique a permis aux instituts de recherche publics et aux universits
daugmenter trs largement le nombre darticles scientifiques publis et de brevets
dposs ces dernires annes. Cependant, il est craindre quune partie de cette
progression soit due un excs de publications et de dpt de brevets, comme lindiquent
la croissance marginale des taux de citation darticles et la faiblesse relative des taux de
transfert de technologies.
Mieux reflter les multiples contributions de la R-D dans les valuations nationales.
Pour limiter autant que possible les comportements non souhaitables, tels que le
dpt abusif de brevets, les diverses contributions que les tablissements
denseignement suprieur et les instituts de recherche publics apportent en faveur
de linnovation devraient mieux transparatre dans les valuations nationales. Cest
pourquoi la porte et les effets attendus ou imprvisibles des dispositifs
complexes dvaluation des programmes appliqus depuis trois ou quatre ans
devraient maintenant tre rviss.
Mobiliser davantage la diaspora corenne dans le systme dvaluation national.
La Core fait appel de nombreux panels dexamen par des experts pour ses
valuations, mais ne fait appel que rarement des experts trangers cause de la
barrire de la langue. Cette situation pourrait samliorer par un emploi plus tendu
de langlais, mais aussi peut-tre plus simplement par le recours la diaspora
corenne grandissante, qui apporterait une dimension internationale utile au
processus dexamen.
Le besoin des entreprises en particulier les chaebol et les PME de haute
technologie - constitue un puissant motif de dveloppement de la recherche fondamentale
en Core, mais ce nest pas le seul. La ncessit de ce dveloppement dcoule galement
de la dynamique propre du secteur scientifique, qui a atteint maintenant un niveau de
maturit important et rclame des infrastructures plus labores et des niveaux de soutien
plus importants. Nombre de ces demandes sont justifies car des investissements dans
certaines infrastructures scientifiques ncessaires la recherche fondamentale pourraient
contribuer significativement au dveloppement socio-conomique du pays. Toutefois,
certaines pourraient ne servir que les intrts du milieu scientifique et doivent tre
tudies avec soin.
valuer avec minutie les projets relatifs de grandes infrastructures de recherche
afin de dterminer leur lgitimit et leur adaptabilit aux besoins volutifs. Les
demandes de grandes infrastructures nouvelles doivent tre rigoureusement
examines, en gardant lesprit que de nombreux pays de lOCDE ayant une plus
grande exprience du financement et de la conduite de la recherche fondamentale
ont parfois eu du mal sassurer de la pertinence des travaux de recherche
associs.
Reconnatre le caractre stratgique dune grande partie de la recherche
fondamentale. La recherche fondamentale ne doit pas tre assimile une
dmarche uniquement motive par la curiosit. De fait, les travaux de recherche
fondamentale sont souvent mens dans le cadre de missions stratgiques. Dans
bien des cas, il devrait tre possible dvaluer ex ante la contribution que peut
apporter la recherche fondamentale telle ou telle mission, mme sil est difficile
de mesurer sa contribution a posteriori.

Promouvoir linnovation dans le secteur des entreprises

Les pouvoirs publics ont prvu des crdits dimpt relativement gnreux pour les
entreprises qui poursuivent des activits de R-D. En outre, les financements publics
directs reprsentent 5 % environ de la DIRDE un chiffre moyen pour les pays de
lOCDE. Cependant, plus de 50 % des dpenses de ltat dans la recherche publique sont
axs sur le dveloppement industriel lun des niveaux les plus levs de lOCDE. Les
autorits cherchent galement mettre en uvre des politiques et des programmes portant
sur un ventail plus large de questions lies linnovation, entre autres le financement
dentreprise, lamlioration des comptences, la collaboration entre entreprises et
universits et les ples dactivit. Lintervention publique doit toutefois tenir compte de
deux clivages importants concernant les rsultats des entreprises corennes en matire
dinnovation : premirement, le clivage entre les chaebol et les PME, et deuximement,
celui entre le secteur manufacturier et les services.
En ce qui concerne le premier point, les performances des PME en matire
dinnovation arrivent toujours loin derrire celles des chaebol. Il est possible que cela
samliore lavenir, puisque le volume des activits de R-D menes par les PME a t
multipli par cinq entre 1997 et 2006 et quil slve aujourdhui prs dun quart de la
DIRDE corenne. Les mesures dincitation de ltat, notamment le financement de la R-
D, les exonrations fiscales, lexonration des droits de douane sur les quipements de R-
D et lexemption du service militaire pour les chercheurs, entrent pour une large part dans
cette rapide expansion. Les chaebol jouent galement un rle de soutien plus important en
faveur dun secteur des PME dynamique, car leurs fournisseurs ont d renforcer
sensiblement leurs capacits de R-D afin de rpondre aux besoins technologiques accrus
des chaebol travaillant sur des technologies de pointe. En outre, les chaebol continuant de
se procurer des technologies lextrieur, les PME corennes cherchent rduire leur
dpendance vis--vis dun seul chaebol et diversifier leur clientle. Pour y parvenir,
elles doivent tre comptitives au plan international. Cependant, face la nouvelle
concurrence de la Chine, les entreprises corennes peuvent moins sappuyer sur la
comptitivit des prix et doivent amliorer la fonctionnalit et la qualit de leurs produits
ce qui les oblige innover encore davantage.
Continuer soutenir linnovation au sein des PME tout en reconnaissant les
limites de lintervention publique. Le soutien public linnovation, qui concernait
en premier lieu les grandes entreprises, se tourne dsormais davantage vers les
PME une nouvelle orientation qui semble globalement justifie. Les pouvoirs
publics sont parvenus dans une certaine mesure renforcer les capacits des PME,
ainsi qu rendre les conditions plus propices aux nouvelles entreprises innovantes.
Ils doivent poursuivre leurs efforts, tout en tenant compte des limites et des
possibilits quoffre la dynamique industrielle globale du pays.
Poursuivre la rationalisation des divers programmes de soutien linnovation
dans les PME. Les politiques et les programmes relatifs aux PME sont trs
nombreux, et les autorits financent dsormais directement plus de travaux de
recherche dans les PME que dans les grandes entreprises. Toutefois, il serait
souhaitable de rationaliser encore davantage les programmes proposs car leur
nombre et leurs champs dapplication sont source de confusion.
Le second clivage concerne le secteur manufacturier et celui des services. La
productivit dans le secteur manufacturier a fortement progress ces dernires annes,
alors quelle continue de stagner dans les services. Le secteur tertiaire reprsentait peine
7 % de la DIRDE en 2006, lun des taux les plus faibles de lOCDE. Il est important

davoir un secteur tertiaire productif et comptitif pour soutenir les performances du

secteur manufacturier. Pourtant, les services de conseil, qui sont gnralement considrs
comme importants pour linnovation, sont peu dvelopps en Core, notamment cause
dune structure industrielle domine par les chaebol autonomes et dun march
intrieur des services relativement ferm la concurrence trangre.
Imaginer des solutions pour favoriser linnovation dans les services. Les pouvoirs
publics devraient mettre en uvre des politiques et des programmes nouveaux
spcifiquement cibls sur linnovation dans le secteur tertiaire, en vue dlargir
lassise de la croissance socio-conomique future.
tendre les domaines de spcialisation

Il existe un certain degr dinertie dans lorientation sectorielle des activits de R-D
en Core, comme le montrent la forte spcialisation de la recherche et des publications
scientifiques autour des TIC et du gnie physique. Cette spcialisation correspond aux
atouts industriels actuels de la Core, et nest donc pas surprenante, dautant moins que la
grande part des dpenses publiques de recherche est toujours consacre la R-D
industrielle. Cependant, la Core doit diversifier ses avantages concurrentiels par des
investissements dans de nouveaux domaines forte intensit de savoir et ayant un
potentiel de croissance lev.
tablir un meilleur quilibre entre le soutien aux secteurs phares bien tablis et
aux nouveaux vecteurs de la croissance. Le MEST a annonc son intention de
rduire la proportion des financements publics de R-D alloue aux TIC et au gnie
industriel, et de consacrer plus dargent des secteurs tels que les sciences du
vivant, les nanotechnologies, les sciences spatiales, etc. Toutefois, tant donn
quune large part du budget public de recherche provient de ministres ayant des
missions sectorielles (notamment le MKE), linfluence du MEST sur une volution
de cette nature semble limite. Une meilleure coordination dans lensemble de
ladministration sera ncessaire pour sassurer quun meilleur quilibre entre les
disciplines peut tre obtenu.
Dfinir les grands dfis auxquels devra sadresser une recherche davantage
oriente vers le bien-tre. Lexistence de ces dfis devrait motiver une
diversification des investissements de recherche et se traduire en de nouvelles
priorits dont la poursuite pourrait se prter lapproche cible souvent employe
pour la R-D en Core.
Accrotre le recours de petites subventions afin de diversifier la recherche. Les
efforts de diversification doivent tenir compte des besoins de financement des
chercheurs isols ou des petits groupes de recherche des universits actifs dans les
domaines concerns, pour lesquels des petites subventions peuvent particulire-
ment bien adaptes. Ces investissements ne doivent pas ncessairement tre
consentis dans le cadre de mcanismes de financement ascendants ( bottom-up )
et peuvent galement ltre au sein de programmes grs de manire descendante
( top-down ).
Promouvoir linnovation dans les services un vecteur de croissance essentiel
lavenir. Ainsi quil a dj t soulign par ailleurs, il convient de soutenir
linnovation dans le secteur tertiaire, qui est dj de loin le premier employeur en
Core et souffre de niveaux de productivit faibles.

Accrotre la contribution de lenseignement suprieur linnovation

Ce sont lducation et lamlioration des comptences qui ont permis la Core de
devenir une grande conomie industrielle. Cependant, le systme ducatif qui sest
dvelopp au fil des annes doit aujourdhui sadapter aux nouveaux dfis auxquels le
pays doit faire face. Au cur de cette volution se trouve lenseignement suprieur, o il
est ncessaire damliorer ladquation entre loffre et la demande de diplms ayant des
comptences et des connaissances rpondant aux besoins de lconomie et de la socit. Il
y a, de manire gnrale, trop de diplms au niveau licence et trop peu de techniciens et
de diplms au niveau post-licence dans les domaines de haute technologie. En outre, la
hirarchie trs visible et excessivement rigide des universits corennes conditionne
fortement la russite professionnelle et le statut social. Malheureusement, la concurrence
exacerbe pour lentre dans les universits les mieux cotes na pas entran une
diffrenciation et spcialisation au sein du systme ducatif mais sest traduit au contraire
par une uniformisation, les universits tant nombreuses proposer les mmes types de
cursus. Par ailleurs, le systme est trop exclusivement au service des jeunes gens et nest
pas assez souple pour proposer des programmes qui favoriseraient une participation plus
nombreuse dapprenants plus gs.
Poursuivre les actions encourageant les universits se spcialiser. Les pouvoirs
publics cherchent relever les niveaux en encourageant les universits se
spcialiser, de prfrence dans des domaines o les diplms ont plus de chances
de trouver un emploi au niveau local (en particulier pour attnuer la pression sur
Soul). Cette dmarche va contre-courant de lexpansion non viable vers laquelle
tendent de nombreuses universits, mais semble tre la bonne marche suivre et
doit donc tre poursuivie, voire tendue plus activement.
Offrir de nouvelles incitations afin que les cursus universitaires rpondent aux
besoins en personnel qualifi des entreprises corennes et de la socit. Dans une
comparaison internationale, les entreprises corennes montrent lun des niveaux
d'insatisfaction les plus levs quant la qualit des diplms. De nombreux
tablissements denseignement suprieur sont en train de relever leur niveau et
travaillent de plus en plus avec des entreprises et les autorits locales en vue de
rviser les programmes pour les rendre plus ractifs lvolution de la demande.
Veiller ce que la concurrence entre les tablissements denseignement suprieur
sappuie sur des informations fiables concernant les rsultats et le fonctionnement
de leurs facults et/ou dpartements. La mise en place en 2008 du systme
dinformation universitaire qui comprend des renseignements sur les taux
demploi des diplms, les taux dinscription, la proportion denseignants temps
plein, loffre de bourses, les rsultats scientifiques, le fonctionnement des
programmes et la gestion des coles est une initiative fort opportune cet gard.
Cependant, une valuation supplmentaire de chaque dpartement ou facult
devrait galement tre mise au point, ce qui permettrait de mettre mieux en lumire
les atouts spcifiques des tablissements denseignement suprieur.
Effectuer une valuation rgulire des rsultats de la recherche au sein des
facults et/ou des dpartements afin de renforcer les liens entre la recherche et la
formation post-licence. De nombreux tudiants post-licence en Core sont forms
dans des facults peu actives dans le domaine de la recherche, ce qui signifie que
le lien troit entre recherche et enseignement est bris. Pour rsoudre ce problme,
il conviendrait dvaluer les travaux de recherche mens au sein des dpartements

ou des facults, de sorte que les tudiants ventuels et les bailleurs de fonds
disposent des informations requises pour un choix clair.
Rehausser le statut des diplmes de formation professionnelle et celui des
tablissements o ils peuvent tre obtenus. Comme la forte demande en diplmes
de licence ne devrait pas diminuer dans limmdiat, il conviendrait denvisager de
revaloriser les brevets professionnels en les rendant quivalents des diplmes de
licence.
Offrir de nouvelles incitations aux prestataires denseignement afin quils
laborent des programmes de formation tout au long de la vie plus souples. Les
programmes des universits et des junior colleges devraient tre plus flexibles
et permettre aux apprenants dtudier temps partiel tout en continuant travailler.
Paralllement, les employeurs et les salaris devraient tre davantage incits
sinvestir dans des activits de formation tout au long de la vie.
Augmenter les taux dactivit des femmes en science et en ingnierie

Dun point de vue strictement conomique, il est urgent que plus de femmes
travaillent dans les sciences et lingnierie, tant donn lvolution dmographique
prvisible de la Core. Les taux dobtention de diplme des femmes dans ces secteurs
sont proches de la moyenne de l'OCDE, mais nombre dentre elles ne parviennent pas
trouver un emploi dans ce domaine. Les pouvoirs publics ne se sont attaqus ce
problme quassez rcemment mais leurs initiatives sont de porte large et mettent
profit les expriences de ltranger. Outre les programmes visant attirer plus de femmes
vers des carrires scientifiques et dingnieur, des objectifs de recrutement ont t fixs
dans certaines parties du secteur public, ainsi que des systmes favorables points pour la
slection des projets de recherche. Certains lments semblent indiquer que ces mesures
ont des effets, mais les progrs sont plutt lents et partent dun niveau faible.
Prendre en compte les questions dgalit hommes-femmes tous les niveaux de la
politique scientifique et technologique. Cela montrera la dtermination du
gouvernement coren accorder la priorit la plus haute la prsence des femmes
dans ces secteurs.
Conjuguer rglementation et incitations afin de pousser le secteur priv
employer plus de femmes dans les domaines scientifiques et technologiques. La
plupart des chercheurs tant employs par le secteur priv, il y a des limites
lintervention directe des autorits. Cest pourquoi une combinaison de rgle-
mentation et dincitations devrait tre envisage, notamment des mesures telles que
des quotas en faveur des femmes, des incitations fiscales et des subventions pour
les structures de garde denfants.
Mettre profit la diversification des efforts de R-D pour favoriser une prsence
accrue des femmes dans les domaines scientifiques et technologiques. Le recul
relatif des TIC et de lingnierie des machines au profit des sciences du vivant, des
sciences mdicales et des sciences de lenvironnement doit tre mis profit pour
accrotre les taux dactivit des femmes, dans la mesure o ces disciplines
semblent plus propices aux femmes que les secteurs dans lesquels la Core a t la
plus active jusqu prsent.

Amliorer la mobilit professionnelle au sein du systme de recherche

La mobilit de la main-duvre constitue lune des faiblesses fondamentales du
systme de recherche : elle est la fois faible en volume et unidirectionnelle. Cela tient en
partie au dualisme du march du travail, mais le haut statut accord au personnel
universitaire joue galement et entrane progressivement une fuite des cerveaux
interne partir des instituts de recherche publics (et, dans une moindre mesure, des
entreprises), les mouvements inverses tant trs peu nombreux. Le manque de circulation
de la main-duvre qui en rsulte a tendance gner la diffusion des connaissances au
sein du systme dinnovation.
tudier des moyens de rehausser le statut des instituts de recherche publics de
sorte quils soient considrs comme des lieux de travail aussi intressants que les
universits. Si les conditions de travail dans les instituts de recherche publics se
rapprochaient davantage de celles dans les universits en termes de scurit de
lemploi, dvolution de carrire et de pension de retraite par exemple cela
pourrait permettre aux premiers de redevenir des employeurs plus attractifs et
encouragerait sans doute la mobilit de la main-duvre. Cependant, le statut des
instituts de recherche publics tant considr comme moins prestigieux que celui
des universits, la mobilit vers les instituts risque de rester modeste. Les pouvoirs
publics devraient donc redorer limage des instituts de recherche publics, par
exemple en investissant dans des quipements de pointe et des projets phares.
Dcentraliser la politique de l'innovation pour une croissance plus quilibre

Les rgions et les rgions urbaines constituent peut-tre lun des meilleurs niveaux
pour tablir des relations productives au sein du systme dinnovation. Cependant, il
nexiste pas de ples technologiques importants au-del du macrople de Soul. Cette
concentration des ressources scientifiques et technologiques semblait aller de soi pendant
le processus dindustrialisation rapide de la Core, mais elle est dsormais remise en
question, les pouvoirs publics souhaitant promouvoir un dveloppement plus quilibr
gographiquement. La Core doit mettre en uvre diffrents programmes daction pour
combler des manques dinnovation au plan rgional, notamment des mesures
encourageant les partenariats entre les acteurs rgionaux de linnovation, qui taient
rcemment encore peu dvelopps. En consquence, une srie de mesures mises en
uvre dans diverses agences publiques lchelle nationale comme dans les rgions a
t adopte afin de soutenir/renforcer les systmes dinnovation rgionaux. Cependant,
ces efforts sont fragments et manquent de coordination. Le problme est essentiellement
d au fait que de nombreux programmes rgionaux sont grs au niveau central par des
agences nationales et non par les rgions elles-mmes. La coordination au niveau rgional
est ainsi complique et empche le dveloppement et lenracinement de capacits de
planification et de mise en uvre plus solides.
Donner plus de responsabilits aux rgions pour la conception et lapplication de
la politique dinnovation rgionale. Les politiques actuellement distinctes mais
souvent enchevtres sur les ples, la R-D, linnovation rgionale et lducation
devraient tre regroupes en une stratgie globale au service du dveloppement
conomique rgional, qui laisserait une grande marge de manuvre aux rgions
elles-mmes en matire de conception et dapplication. Cette responsabilit devrait
saccompagner dun systme de contrle permettant de veiller ladquation et
lefficience de laction, et permettant galement de tirer plus facilement des leons
des politiques appliques au niveau rgional.

Mener un audit stratgique ascendant sur les programmes dinnovation rgionaux.

Dans le contexte dune dcentralisation accrue des pouvoirs, il est ncessaire de
raliser un audit stratgique des diverses initiatives rgionales en matire dinnova-
tion prises par les diffrentes agences, ainsi que des efforts consentis pour
renforcer les capacits de planification et de mise en uvre dans les rgions.
Le gouvernement coren a galement cherch faire merger un ple dactivits
forte intensit de savoir autour de la cit de la science de Daedok rebaptise rcemment
Daedok Innopolis. La transformation de Daedok dun ple scientifique en un ple de
linnovation nest pas acquise, mais les premiers signes sont encourageants. Autre point
peut-tre davantage sujet controverse, les autorits veulent encourager le dveloppe-
ment de ples scientifiques plus petits dans dautres rgions qui nont jusqu prsent que
peu dactivits de recherche.
Comprendre que les investissements et les retombes associs aux systmes
dinnovation rgionaux sinscrivent dans la dure. Il est vident que mme avec
lintervention de ltat, il faudra trs longtemps pour que le renforcement des
capacits de recherche dune rgion porte ses fruits. Cela ne signifie pas renoncer
investir pour ce renforcement, mais plutt admettre que les bnfices attendus
mettront du temps se matrialiser pleinement. .
Veiller ce que linnovation soit au cur de tout investissement vise
scientifique destin promouvoir le dveloppement rgional. Sans cela, les
pouvoirs publics risquent de btir des cathdrales dans le dsert , autrement dit
des centres dexcellence scientifique comportant peu davantages pour lconomie
locale.
Tirer le meilleur parti possible de l'internationalisation de la R-D

Ces dernires annes, alors que la R-D sest de plus en plus internationalise, il est
devenu important pour les pays de souvrir et de participer des rseaux mondiaux de
production de savoir. Le systme coren de R-D est considr bien des gards comme
relativement ferm linternationalisation : les scientifiques trangers sont peu nombreux
travailler en Core, il existe peu de centres de recherche trangers dans le pays et la
coopration internationale en matire de recherche nest gure dveloppe. Toutefois, sur
dautres aspects, le systme de R-D coren a toujours t trs internationalis, et ce, ds le
dbut, lorsque les instituts de recherche publics nouvellement crs devaient dbaucher
des scientifiques corens travaillant aux tats-Unis pour toffer leurs effectifs. Cette
mobilit de la main-duvre sest poursuivie jusqu aujourdhui, de nombreux Corens
choisissant de passer leur doctorat ltranger, et de plus en plus, leur licence et leur
master, avant de retourner en Core pour travailler. Nanmoins, lacclration rcente de
cette mobilit vers lextrieur (la Core compte plus dtudiants aux tats-Unis quaucun
autre pays) est une proccupation grandissante, dans la mesure o de nombreuses
personnes choisissent de ne pas retourner en Core, du moins pas dans limmdiat.
Certains parlent de fuite des cerveaux et soulignent la ncessit damliorer les
possibilits de recherche et denseignement dans les universits corennes. Dautres
considrent ces volutions de manire plus positive et y voient linternationalisation de la
Core par un processus de circulation des cerveaux .

Les pouvoirs publics corens souhaitent juste titre rduire les risques associs la
mobilit vers lextrieur en encourageant le mouvement inverse, vers la Core. Ils
redoublent d'efforts pour amliorer l'internationalisation de lassise scientifique et
technologique du pays et ont rcemment adopt plusieurs plans d'action visant
i) promouvoir la collaboration internationale en matire de R-D ; ii) attirer des centres de
R-D trangers en Core; iii) attirer des ressources humaines tudiants et chercheurs
qualifis afin qu'ils tudient et travaillent en Core. L'ampleur et la porte des
investissements prvus (par exemple, pour l'initiative qui vient d'tre annonce sur les
Universits de classe mondiale) ainsi que les objectifs fixs (sur les effectifs d'tudiants
trangers, par exemple) montrent une relle ambition. Si ces plans d'action atteignent
leurs objectifs, des progrs considrables auront t faits en vue de l'internationalisation
de la R-D corenne.
Tirer parti des volutions systmiques au sens large pour renforcer indirectement
l'internationalisation de la R-D en Core. Ces volutions concernent notamment
i) l'accent mis sur la recherche fondamentale, dans la mesure o celle-ci est propice
de nombreuses cooprations scientifiques internationales, et ii) le renforcement
des capacits de recherche universitaires, qui devraient devenir un axe majeur de la
coopration et des changes avec ltranger.
Continuer d'investir dans des installations de R-D l'tranger. Les chaebol
corens investissent assez largement dans des installations de R-D l'tranger, en
particulier aux tats-Unis, en Europe, en Russie et, de plus en plus, en Chine. Des
relations similaires, bien que plus modestes, ont t tablies par quelques instituts
de recherche du secteur public. Tous ces efforts vont sans doute contribuer
renforcer les liens entre la recherche et l'innovation en Core et les rseaux
mondiaux de savoir, et doivent donc tre poursuivis.
Amliorer la coordination entre les politiques et les programmes du MEST et du
MKE en faveur de l'internationalisation. Il conviendrait autant que possible de
rationnaliser les politiques et les programmes de manire viter les chevauche-
ments et combler les manques.

Tableau rcapitulatif : Le systme d'innovation coren forces, faiblesses, opportunits et menaces
Les forces Les opportunits

Une vision nationale articule et mobilisatrice Un positionnement gopolitique dans l'une des rgions les
plus dynamiques du monde
Des taux levs de croissance tendantielle du PIB
Des accords de libre-change
Un soutien public important l'innovation et la R-D
La mondialisation, y compris de la R-D
De bonnes conditions-cadres pour l'innovation et qui vont en
s'amliorant Une diaspora corenne grandissante dans les secteurs
scientifiques et technologiques
Des niveaux levs de DIRD et de DIRDE en pourcentage
du PIB L'volution scientifique et technologique, en particulier en
informatique, dans les nanotechnologies, les
Une main-d'uvre hautement qualifie biotechnologies et en ingnierie et leur possible fusion
Une offre de RHST de qualit La croissance de la Chine et d'autres conomies
Une grande capacit d'adopter rapidement les nouvelles industrielles nouvelles, dans la rgion et ailleurs, qui offrent
technologies de nouveaux marchs pour les exportations corennes
Une infrastructure des TIC solide

Une ractivit exceptionnelle face la concurrence
Des entreprises solides et comptitives sur le plan
international
La capacit de tirer les leons des checs et dapprendre
des autres
La capacit de produire des talents d'envergure mondiale
Les faiblesses Les menaces
Des capacits de recherche fondamentale peu dveloppes Des taux de fcondit faibles et une population vieillissante
et des capacits de recherche modestes l'universit
L'arrive de concurrents redoutable dans les domaines o la
Des liens peu dvelopps entre les instituts de recherche Core excelle, tels que les TIC, en particulier la Chine
publics et les tablissements d'enseignement suprieur
Les incertitudes gopolitiques dans la rgion
Dans l'enseignement : apprentissage par cur, trop
d'importance accorde l'examen d'entre l'universit, et Les perturbations des importations de ressources naturelles
cots exorbitants de l'enseignement priv et d'nergie, dont l'conomie corenne est fortement
dpendante
Une sous-utilisation des femmes dans la population active
Les perspectives conomiques mondiales et leurs
Une productivit faible du secteur des services consquences pour les conomies tournes vers
l'exportation
Un secteur des PME relativement fragile
L'hritage du dirigisme, qui gne l'laboration d'une politique
de l'innovation oriente vers la diffusion
Des liens internationaux dsquilibrs
Un dveloppement ingal selon les rgions et les secteurs
Un march intrieur relativement modeste (compar la
Chine, au Japon et aux tats-Unis)
Des problmes de coordination des politiques entre les
ministres

1. PERFORMANCE AND FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS FOR INNOVATION 51
Chapter 1
Performance and Framework Conditions for Innovation
This chapter first reviews Koreas macroeconomic performance, with its above-average
OECD-area economic growth and sustained shift towards high-technology production. It
then considers the structural features of the Korean economy: the unique role of the
chaebol, the position of SMEs, the productivity gap between manufacturing and services,
regional economic imbalances, and relatively low levels of internationalisation. It then
turns to an examination of the framework conditions for innovation: the business
environment, competition policy, and product and labour market conditions. A final
section assesses and benchmarks Koreas performance in science, technology and
innovation (STI), with a focus on indicators such as research spending, publication and
patenting rates, and human resource capacity.
1.1. Macroeconomic performance
In its efforts to catch up with the worlds leading economies, Korea has performed
exceptionally well over the last few decades by instigating waves of industrial upgrading
to become a world leader in some of the most high-technology industries. Historically,
the catch-up process was shaped by strong state leadership, a state-controlled banking
system, and the dominance of the chaebol Koreas large, highly diversified, family-
owned conglomerates. The growth of Koreas GDP to around 70% of the average OECD
GDP per capita income (see Figure 1.1) can be attributed to export-driven economic
growth as the chaebol have accessed and exploited international markets and international
sources of technology.
1.1.1. Growth of GDP

Historically, Koreas growth can be largely attributed to the exploitation of capital
and labour, driven by the highest rate of business investment in the OECD area, a
growing population, long working hours and rising participation in the labour force.
However, since growth of inputs of labour and capital has begun to slow, continued
convergence to the OECD average through input-based growth will become more
difficult. Sustaining high growth will increasingly depend upon boosting innovation,
which will in turn feed productivity growth.

52 1. PERFORMANCE AND FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS FOR INNOVATION
Figure 1.1. Convergence of Koreas per capita income to the OECD average, 1970-2005
Percentages
1. The OECD average is based on 26 countries (excluding the Slovak Republic, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary)
from 1970 to 1990, on 29 countries (excluding the Slovak Republic) from 1991 to 1992, and on all 30 member countries
from 1993 to 2005.
Source: OECD (2007), OECD Economic Surveys: Korea, OECD, Paris.
As Table 1.1 shows, the Korean economys growth rate has slowed since the
beginning of the decade, although it has expanded at an annual rate of 4.3% since 2002,
one of the highest rates in the OECD area. Growth in private consumption, gross fixed
capital formation and total domestic demand have all declined. These trends are
interpreted in Korea as the warning signs of a weakening in the growth potential of the
economy. However, such signs of decline need to be put into perspective, since the
deceleration during the past four years has been exaggerated by several factors that
artificially boosted growth from 1998 to 2002 (OECD, 2007a):
The economy bounced back sharply from the 1997 crisis and deep recession of
1998.
The worldwide ICT boom accelerated growth around the turn of the century.
As the impact of the ICT boom faded, it was replaced by another bubble in
household credit that drove private consumption until it burst in 2002. The
weaker contribution of private consumption to output growth during the past four
years less than one percentage point a year compared to more than four points
from 1998 to 2002 is explained by the difficulty households faced in repairing
their balance sheets following the credit card bubble in 2002.

Table 1.1. Economic growth trends in Korea, 1998-2006
Average annual growth rates Contribution to growth

1998-2002 2002-06 1998-2002 2002-06
Private consumption 8.2 1.5 4.4 0.8
Government consumption 3.8 4.3 0.5 0.5
Gross fixed capital formation 6.7 2.7 2.0 0.8
Stock building .. .. 0.8 0.0
Total domestic demand 8.0 2.3 7.7 2.1
Exports 10.8 14.1 - 0.5* 2.1*
Imports 12.6 13.1 13.1
GDP 7.2 4.3 4.3 4.2
* Indicates contribution of net exports.
1.1.2. International trade

Export growth has continued to soar, transforming a trade deficit of USD 3 billion in
1997 into a trade surplus of USD 33 billion in 2006. This resilient export performance
made Korea the worlds tenth largest exporting country and thirteenth largest importing
country in 2006, and reflects the fact that Korean firms are competitive in international
markets, despite the appreciation of the won during this period, as Korean firms have
improved the quality of their products, but have also shifted towards more knowledge-
intensive products, and have thus been less sensitive to exchange rate fluctuations
(OECD, 2007a). This shift is confirmed by Table 1.2, which shows that the proportion of
high- and medium-high-technology products among Koreas exports has grown sharply
since the early 1990s in parallel with a similar decline in low-technology products, such
as textiles and food.
Table 1.2 also shows the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) indices of different
Korean sectors, a measure of their international competitiveness. The RCA indices of
high-technology and medium-high-technology sectors increased significantly, while the
indices of medium-low-technology sectors (with the exception of shipbuilding and repair)
declined, implying a loss in competitive advantage. Clearly, the low-technology industries
that profited from low wages are rapidly losing their competitive advantage to Chinese
industries not only in international markets but also in the domestic market (see Box 1.1).

Table 1.2. Composition of Koreas exports, 1992 and 2004
Share (%) Revealed comparative advantage
1992 2004 1992 2004

Manufacturing
High technology and products 25.8 39.2 1.33 1.63
Aircraft and spacecraft 0.9 0.2 0.28 0.11
Pharmaceuticals 0.4 0.3 0.26 0.11
Computers and office products 4.0 9.0 0.91 1.73
Semiconductors and electronic valves 10.6 11.0 3.62 2.30
Radio, TV and communication equipment 8.5 15.3 2.31 3.19
Precision, medical and optical instrument 1.3 2.4 0.39 0.65
Medium-high technology 20.4 35.2 0.60 1.10
Electrical machinery 2.2 3.2 0.59 0.77
Chemical products 7.2 10.2 0.99 1.26
Motor vehicle and trailer 5.8 13.6 0.50 1.33
Other transport equipment 0.2 0.2 0.35 0.29
Home appliance and machinery equipment 3.0 8.0 0.46 0.91
Medium-low technology 18.7 17.3 1.45 1.43
Shipbuilding and repair 5.4 6.4 5.77 8.45
Coke and petroleum products 0.2 0.1 0.30 0.20
Rubber and plastic products 2.8 2.4 1.15 0.96
Non-metallic mineral products 0.8 0.6 0.52 0.44
Basic and fabricated products 9.7 7.7 1.30 1.12
Low technology 31.6 8.8 1.44 0.49
Textile, apparel and footwear 25.4 6.1 2.99 0.92
Food, beverages and tobacco 2.1 1.1 0.35 0.20
Wood and paper products 1.0 0.6 0.22 0.19
Other misc. manufacturing products 3.2 1.0 1.03 0.35
Non-manufacturing 1.5 0.4 0.18 0.03

Box 1.1. The rise of China

Korea has benefited significantly from Chinas economic development. Strengthening economic ties have
made China Koreas largest export market, accounting for 21% of total Korean exports in 2006. The trade
relationship has been underpinned by Koreas foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. Indeed, China
accounted for nearly a quarter of Koreas total stock of overseas FDI in 2005 and 36% in the manufacturing
sector. At the same time, Korea is increasingly challenged by China in many industries in which it currently
enjoys a competitive advantage. For example, China is now the leading exporter of information and
communication technology (ICT) products (Figure 1.2). Chinas growing presence in more high-technology
industries is encouraged by its growing investment in R&D, which increased at an average annual rate of 18%
between 2000 and 2005, well above the rate of 6.9% in Korea and the OECD average of 3.6%.
Figure 1.2. Exports of ICT goods between 1996 and 2006 (USD billions in current prices)
United States EU15 China Japan Korea
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Note: Data for the EU exclude intra-EU trade.

Source: Joint OECD-UNSD ITCS and the UN COMTRADE database, June 2008, cited in OECD (2008), OECD Reviews of Innovation
Policy: China, OECD, Paris.
1.1.3. Composition of economic activities

As Korean industry has become more knowledge-intensive and shifted to high-
technology sectors, some economic activities have declined in importance. As Figure 1.3
shows, agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and construction each account for a
smaller share of Korean GDP than they did a decade ago, while manufacturing has
continued to soar, to account for almost 30% of GDP in 2006, up from 22% in 1997. This
amounts to an annual increase of 7% and bucks the trend towards a decline in
manufacturing in many advanced economies. Interestingly, the share of services has
barely changed, decreasing slightly from 51.3% in 1997 to 48.9% in 2006.

Around two-thirds of employment in the Korean economy is in services (Figure 1.4),

a significantly higher proportion than the sectors contribution to GDP. By contrast,
despite its growing share of GDP, manufacturing accounts for a declining share of
employment, down from 21.4% in 1997 to 18.0% in 2006. This suggests that Korean
manufacturing firms facing fierce international competition have reduced their number of
employees in a bid to increase productivity levels. The services sector seems to have
absorbed most of the people who have exited the manufacturing sector. Nevertheless, the
decline in manufacturing jobs has affected the labour market, as too few positions are
available to absorb new graduates.
Figure 1.3. Trends in the composition of GDP, by sector, 1997-2006
Source: National Statistical Office (2007), Major Statistics of the Korean Economy, National Statistical Office, Seoul.
Figure 1.4. Trends in the composition of employment, by sector, 1997-2006
100
80
60 Mining
Construction
Agriculture, forestry, fishing
40 Manufacturing
Services
20
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: National Statistical Office (2007), Major Statistics of the Korean Economy, National Statistical Office, Seoul.
As Table 1.3 shows, the high-growth industries include refined petroleum products
(8.9%), rubber & plastics products (10.6%), basic metals (10.0%), assembling metal
products (7.9%), machinery (8.0%), TV and communication equipment (13.5%), motor
cars and trailers (9.2%), other transport equipment (7.9%) and recycling industry
(13.0%).

Table 1.3. Composition of gross output in Korean manufacturing industry, 1997, 2000, 2005
KRW billions
Manufacturing sectors 1997 % 2000 % 2005 % AGR*
Total 434 895 100 564 834 100 848 484 100 7.7
Food products and beverages 31 426 7.2 37 434 6.6 48 264 5.7 4.9
Tobacco products 4 195 1.0 3 696 0.7 2 764 0.3 - 4.5
Textiles 21 314 4.9 26 033 4.6 21 944 2.6 0.3
Wearing apparel and fur articles 10 314 2.4 9 458 1.7 12 351 1.5 2.0
Tanning and dressing of leather 5 108 1.2 5 508 1.0 4 205 0.5 - 2.1
Wood and cork 3 320 0.8 3 172 0.6 4 394 0.5 3.2
Pulp, paper and paper products 10 247 2.4 13 410 2.4 14 722 1.7 4.1
Publishing, printing and recording 7 866 1.8 9 804 1.7 12 664 1.5 5.4
Coke, refined petroleum products 28 038 6.4 40 158 7.1 60 425 7.1 8.9
Chemicals and chemical products 41 681 9.6 56 038 9.9 79 318 9.3 7.4
Rubber & plastics products 15 222 3.5 21 465 3.8 37 599 4.4 10.6
Non-metallic mineral products 17 034 3.9 16 983 3.0 23 005 2.7 3.4
Basic metals 35 204 8.0 44 591 7.9 82 797 9.8 10.0
Assembly of metal products and outfits 19 972 4.6 20 309 3.6 39 666 4.7 7.9
Machinery and out fits 36 287 8.3 42 414 7.5 72 226 8.5 8.0
Office, calculation, accounting machinery 13 313 3.1 26 349 4.7 7 969 0.9 -5.5
Electrical machinery 15 627 3.6 21 595 3.8 30 065 3.5 7.5
Television and communication equipment 44 973 10.3 79 414 14.0 140 470 16.6 13.5
Medical, precision and optical machinery 4 803 1.1 5 132 0.9 8 692 1.0 6.8
Motor cars and trailers 44 181 10.2 53 889 9.5 97 894 11.5 9.2
Other transport equipment 16 997 3.9 18 715 3.3 33 592 4.0 7.9
Furniture 7 100 1.6 8 378 1.5 11 439 1.3 5.4
Recycling 672 0.2 891 0.2 2 020 0.2 13.0
* AGR indicates annual average growth rates.

Source: National Statistical Office (2006), Report on Mining and Manufacturing Survey, National Statistical Office, Seoul.

These trends show Korea to be a manufacturing-led economy, which depends for

much of its value added on manufacturing. They also point to an opportunity to increase
economic growth through productivity gains in the services sector, which accounts for a
smaller proportion of GDP than in advanced countries. As will be discussed in later
sections, Korean services lag those of advanced countries, particularly in knowledge-
intensive services such as finance, insurance, medical services, business services, etc.
1.2. Structural features
This section briefly recalls the history of Korean economic development and
highlights the important role played by large industrial conglomerates the chaebol. It
then discusses four structural imbalances in the Korean economy: the dual economy
of large and small firms; the yawning productivity gap between manufacturing and
services; unbalanced regional development; and the economys relatively low levels of
internationalisation. Each of these is further discussed in later chapters.
1.2.1. Brief history of Koreas economic development

Koreas early industrial strategy was based on growing import-substitution industries,
starting with subsistence agriculture, such as rice, and labour-intensive light manufacturing
sectors, such as textiles, footwear and bicycles. Korea had a comparative advantage in
inexpensive skilled labour, but it had neither the technological capability nor local capital
to establish and operate production systems. The technological deficit was addressed by
promoting technology transfer from overseas, linked with the strengthening of domestic
capacity to absorb and improve on the transferred technology. Contrary to popular belief,
foreign direct investment (FDI) played an important role in technology transfer during the
1960s and early 1970s (Ernst, 2000), but other mechanisms were later exploited,
particularly original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production arrangements.
A shortage of foreign exchange and a strong commitment to economic independence
led to a policy that relied on long-term loans, rather than FDI, to finance industrial
development. These loans were made directly to the Korean government which then
allocated them for investments in selected industries. This led to a significant import of
foreign capital goods and turn-key plant, which were later reverse-engineered in order to
acquire the necessary technologies (Chung, 2006). The selection and assimilation of
appropriate technologies required a moderate local R&D capability and S&T infra-
structure, which was addressed by establishing the Ministry of Science and Technology
(MoST) and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in the 1960s. As a
result, with progressive local capital accumulation and investment in primary education,
Korea achieved a gradual move up the value-added chain towards more sophisticated
products.
In the mid-1970s, Korea moved, in a highly targeted fashion, into heavy industries
such as chemicals and shipbuilding, at the same time working to improve technology
absorption and promoting research to meet industry needs. This targeting operated in the
framework of largely protectionist policies designed to deny foreign companies access to
the Korean market. The government also played a key role in developing a domestic
R&D capability by establishing ten industry-oriented government research institutes
(GRIs) in areas such as machinery, electronics, chemistry and shipbuilding.

By the 1980s new challenges had emerged, as Korean industries found it more
difficult to compete in international markets owing to their reliance on imported
technologies and an increasingly expensive domestic labour force. At the same time, a
small number of large Korean firms had become potential competitors in international
markets, making foreign companies increasingly reluctant to transfer technologies to
Korea. To compete, Korea would have to develop an indigenous base for research and
innovation (Bartzokas, 2007). Thus, the policy focus moved to structural adjustment,
technology-intensive industrial development and strengthening of the national S&T
capability. The gradual opening of domestic markets forced Korean firms to improve
their technological capabilities through technology transfer from abroad and investment
in their own R&D. There was also a move to liberalise the control of investment inflows
and to seek access to more advanced technology through FDI.
Korea continued to pursue high-value-added manufacturing in the 1990s by promoting
local high-technology innovation. Korean companies drew on the skilled labour force
resulting from the governments expansion of the higher education system to expand their
R&D capabilities. This setting of innovation policy remained in place until the storm
clouds leading up to the 1997 Asian financial crisis began to gather. Domestic wage rises
and the appreciation of the won resulted in chronic current account deficits and led to
reforms in the financial markets. However, the Korean model had fundamental weaknesses,
particularly with respect to the chaebol, which had diversified beyond their financial and
technological capabilities. The economic reform package agreed with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) required opening up the national economy to international
competition and technology flows, higher standards of corporate governance, and
microeconomic adjustments to achieve greater productivity growth in both the public and
private sectors.
In 1998, the new government launched major reforms in four areas: the public sector,
the financial sector, the chaebol and the labour market. In particular, it committed to a
transition to an advanced knowledge-based economy in which domestic innovation would
thrive, thereby enhancing overall productivity and sustaining economic growth. The new
knowledge-based development strategy was based on the four pillars of the knowledge
economy framework developed by the Knowledge for Development (K4D) programme
of the World Bank (see Box 1.2).
Box 1.2. The four pillars of the knowledge economy

An economic incentive and institutional regime that provides good economic policies and institutions, which
promote efficient allocation of resources and stimulate creativity and incentives for the efficient creation,
dissemination and use of existing knowledge.
An educated and skilled labour force that continuously upgrades and adapts skills to create and use knowledge
efficiently.
An effective innovation system of firms, research centres, universities, consultants and other organisations that
keeps up with the knowledge revolution, taps into the growing stock of global knowledge, and assimilates and
adapts new knowledge to local needs.
A modern and adequate information infrastructure that facilitates the effective communication, dissemination,
and processing of information and knowledge.
Source: World Bank (2006), Korea as a Knowledge Economy: Evolutionary Process and Lessons Learned, World Bank, Washington, DC.

There is strong evidence that Korea has successfully weathered the storm and
established a sound framework for a globally competitive and innovative economy.
Today, Korea has achieved a substantial technological capability in some high-
technology areas, such as information and telecommunications, semiconductors and
LCDs, steel, shipbuilding and automobiles. It has the largest world market shares in the
high-technology electronic industries of DRAM semiconductors, TFT-LCD and CDMA
cellular phones.
1.2.2. The role of the chaebol in Koreas industrialisation

Korea has a diversified industrial structure, a legacy of waves of industrial develop-
ment from light industries to heavy industries to high-technology industries. Furthermore,
because the chaebol tended to diversify into several industries, there are now large
competing companies in major sectors such as ICTs, shipbuilding and automobiles. Some
of these firms have become world leaders (see Table 1.4). For example, Korea became
the fifth largest automobile producer in 2005, its shipbuilding industry is the largest in the
world, and Korean steel companies are major innovators. But the most striking success
story has undoubtedly been the Korean ICT industry, which has performed exceptionally
well in terms of competitiveness and globalisation in a relatively short period of time on
the back of strong exports.
Table 1.4. Major Korean companies and industries
Company Major arm Industries

Samsung Samsung Electronics Semiconductors DRAM, SRAM; LCD panels, mobile phones
Samsung Heavy Industries Shipbuilding
Samsung Engineering and Construction High-rise buildings, roads, railways, power stations
SK SK Energy Petrochemicals
SK Teletech CDMA mobile phone systems
LG LG Electronics LCD and plasma panels, mobile phones, consumer appliances
Hyundai Hyundai Motor Corp Motor vehicles
Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipbuilding
Hynix Semiconductors
Hanjin Hanjin Shipping Container transport and shipping
POSCO Steelmaking
The chaebol are defined as business groups in which one parent company (holding
company), owned by a family or extended family, controls subsidiaries in various
industries, with large subsidiaries occupying oligopolistic positions in the respective
industries (Haggard et al., 2003). This definition emphasises three distinct structural
elements a governance structure of family dominance, an organisational structure based
on a holding company controlling legally independent firms, i.e. multi-subsidiaries rather
than multi-divisions, and a diversified business structure encompassing many discrete
products and services. However, there is no standard model. Some chaebol are one large
corporation, while others have broken up into loosely connected groups of separate
companies sharing a common name. Box 1.3 provides a basic explanation of the owner-
ship and control model commonly employed by the chaebol.

Box 1.3. Ownership and control of the chaebol

As Korean business groups grew, entrepreneurs afraid of losing control changed the ownership structure
from direct ownership to interlocking ownership. Interlocking ownership means that the chaebol family owns
a nuclear company and/or an intermediary, which in turn has interlocking ownerships with member
companies. This kind of structure gives the chaebol families the ability to control affiliated firms with a small
share of the companies equity. [] In 1995 chaebol families only controlled on average 10% of the
outstanding capital, but the average interlocking ownership of about 33% gave them an ownership control
share of 43% on average (Chung et al., 1997). Even if the minority shareholders collectively own more than
50% they do not have control because they are largely fragmented and until recently the rights of minority
shareholders have been weak. [...] The chaebol ownership structure can be seen as a pyramid in which the
owner family controls assets that vastly exceed their own investment. This is done by holding controlling
interests in companies that hold controlling interest in other companies which in turn control other firms, and
so on.
Source: Karlsson (2006), Chaebol Characteristics: A Post Asian Crisis Study, Working Paper, Vxj University, Vxj.
Table 1.5. Korean chaebol and numbers of affiliate firms, 2004
Business group Number of affiliates

Samsung 63
LG 46
Hyundai Motor 28
Hanjin 23
Lotte 36
Hanwha 31
Hyundai Heavy Industries 6
Kumho Asiana 16
Doosan 22
Dongbu 22
Hyundai 7
LG Cable 12
Tong Yang 16
Daelim 12
Hyosung 16
Dong Kuk Steel Mill 8
Kolon 31
Hyundai Department Store 17
KCC 10
Hansol 11
Hyundai Development 12
Dongyang Chemical 19
Source: Karlsson (2006), Chaebol Characteristics: A Post Asian Crisis Study, Working Paper, Vxj University, Vxj.

The origins of many of the larger chaebol can be traced to the period after Japanese
colonialism, when some Korean businessmen obtained the assets of Japanese firms. All
started small and had a fairly chequered history in their early years. However, Korean
governments from 1961 to 1987 actively supported their operations through successive
strategies and policies, as a means of pursuing the governments industrialisation
objectives, and the companies, as well as the national economy, prospered. Table 1.5 lists
the Korean business groups defined as chaebol during the period 1998-2004.
Box 1.4. The chaebol and the Asian financial crisis

Unlike previous economic disruptions, which had been triggered by external shocks such as oil crises, the
1997 crisis stemmed from fundamental structural weaknesses in the Korean institutions that support national
innovation. The state had sufficient power to pick winners and it mobilised and allocated resources to them
to meet ambitious developmental goals, thereby achieving phenomenal industrial growth in the early decades.
However, this approach eventually led to corruption and collusion between the state and big businesses and to
mismanagement of the financial sector and serious misallocation of resources. The chaebol relied heavily on
state protection and diversified beyond their financial and technological capabilities. Lack of transparency and
accountability in the economic system was also a serious problem. As a result, the trade balance of payments
declined from a surplus of USD 7.6 billion in 1987 to a deficit of USD 20.6 billion in 1996 and foreign debt
increased from USD 31.7 billion in 1990 to USD 156 billion in 1997 (Kim, 2001, p. 1).
In fact, one-quarter of the chaebol did not earn enough to meet the interest payments on their loans. They
were therefore a major target for reform, in particular with regard to the ownership and control patterns that
resulted in non-transparent governance. It was argued, particularly by the IMF, that the close connections
between government, big business and the banks had created an inefficient financial sector and a highly
leveraged corporate sector which lacked effective market discipline. In response, the government announced a
number of requirements for corporate restructuring, including a focus on core businesses, the reduction of
debt-to-equity ratios to below 200% by the end of 1999, the dismantling of cross-credit guarantees among
subsidiaries, management transparency, and greater management accountability.
To meet these requirements, chaebol had to sell off many of their unprofitable businesses to foreign firms.
Hyundai, for example, decided to focus on five core businesses: automobiles, electronics, construction, heavy
industry and financial services. Samsung concentrated on four core businesses: electronics, finance, trade and
services. LG announced that its main business segments would be chemicals/energy, electronics/telecom-
munications, services and finances. Daewoo went bankrupt in the middle of restructuring. Other smaller
chaebol also undertook major restructuring of their businesses (Kim, 2001).
In addition, listed companies were required to appoint outside directors to make the board of directors
more independent in their supervision of top management. Within the first year, 752 listed companies had
assigned outside directors, though there is considerable anecdotal evidence that many were not truly
independent. In fact, there is considerable debate about the extent to which the chaebol have reformed their
governance since the financial crisis. Karlsson (2006), on the basis of a detailed empirical study of all firms
listed on the Korea Stock Exchange during the period 1996-2004, found no evidence that chaebol are more
diversified than other firms. However, there was little evidence of a decline, after 1998, in debt financing or
interlocking ownership.
The chaebol have therefore been central to Koreas economic development. However,
a number of problems due to their pyramidal ownership structures have been identified:
the controlling shareholder can secure control rights without the corresponding cash flow
rights, which means that the controlling owner is protected from losing power; top
management positions are often retained by family members; even if resources are
efficiently managed and allocated within a group controlled by a family, the group may
still be inefficient; and, if only a few families control productive assets in an economy,
i.e. have market power in both the goods and capital markets, this can result in

undesirable economic costs. These problems became particularly evident during the
Asian financial crisis (see Box 1.4) when several chaebol were forced into bankruptcy
while those that remained in business were obliged to reform their structures and
practices. In the wake of the Asian financial crisis, both the chaebol and the Korean
economy recovered rapidly.
1.2.3. Persisting dual economy: small firms and the chaebol

The dominance in the Korean economy of the chaebol and other large business
groups, in terms of their proportion of GDP, is well known. However they also have a
strong influence on the smaller companies that supply them with goods and services. In
general, small companies have only survived by providing products and services to the
chaebol. This has led to some growth in skills and capacity but little innovation. Further-
more, cultural and job security concerns limit the flow of personnel from large firms to
smaller entrepreneurial firms, while the large chaebol firms can and do hire some of the
most talented employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), and thus frustrate
capability building. This situation makes it exceedingly difficult to assemble and retain
the management and technical teams necessary to build an entrepreneurial start-up (Suh,
2000, cited in Sohn and Kenney, 2007). Accordingly, as Figure 1.5 shows, the profitability
of large firms continues to rise, while the profitability of SMEs continues to lag behind.
Figure 1.5. Profitability by firm size, 2002 and 2005
Percentages
10
Large firms
8.1
8
6 Large firms
5.4
4
SMEs
SMEs 3.9
3.4
2
0
2002 2005
Nevertheless, recent years have seen steady growth in the number of SMEs (SMBA,
2004). The Asian financial crisis led many experienced managers to leave their jobs and
set up new SMEs, and the government also introduced many new schemes and incentives
to promote new enterprises. The result was an impressive growth in the number of SMEs,
though growth has since stalled (see Box 1.5). The factors that enabled the growth of
SMEs in the past are increasingly disappearing due to rapid changes in the global
economic environment: large enterprises global outsourcing strategies; the emergence of
strong competitors with cost advantages (especially China); shortening product life
cycles; and fierce competition brought on by market liberalisation (OECD, 2005a). Such
changes in the business environment are weakening SMEs growth potential, profitability
and investment in facilities.

Box 1.5. SMEs in Korea
In Korea SMEs are defined as enterprises employing fewer than 300 personnel. As of 2004, Korea had
approximately 3 million SMEs, including 84 000 medium-sized enterprises (50-300 employees), 230 000 small
enterprises (10-50 employees) and 2.68 million micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees). As the main
component of the Korean economy, SMEs represent 99.8% of all enterprises, and 86.5% of total employment
(see table below). By sector, services dominate as in other OECD countries, accounting for 86% of firms and
two-thirds of employment. By contrast, manufacturing accounts for only 11% of firms and 28% of employ-
ment, with construction and agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining making up the remainder.
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Number of firms (millions) 2.63 2.78 2.87 2.88 2.96 3.00 3.00
Number of employees (millions) 10.18 10.83 11.53 11.65 11.98 12.04 12.04
Source: SMBA website (www.smba.go.kr/smba/main/english/index.jsp), accessed February 2008.
An analysis of the major supplier firms to the chaebol provides an interesting insight
into their influence and the characteristics of the supplier companies (Table 1.6). While
the number of supplier companies has been growing slowly, it has declined quite sharply
in the electronic industry. Smaller companies, with a turnover of less than KRW 200 billion
(approximately USD 210 million), constitute the majority (almost two-thirds) of suppliers
and an even higher proportion (in excess of 75%) in the electronics industry. At the same
time, none of these companies can be considered small, indeed some are quite large.
More detailed characteristics are provided in Table 1.7.
Table 1.6. Chaebol supplier firms with turnover of more than KRW 100 billion, 2004-06
Company turnover Number of Electronics Automotive Machinery Materials
Year
(KRW billions) companies industry industry industry industry
2004 100-200 29 20 6 1 2
200-300 11 2 2 1 6
300-1 000 4 2 1 0 1
>1 000 2 0 1 0 0
Total 45 24 10 2 9
2005 100-200 31 14 5 2 10
200-300 9 3 4 0 2
300-1 000 8 3 4 0 1
>1 000 1 0 1 0 0
Total 49 20 14 2 13
2006 100-200 34 12 9 2 13
200-300 10 5 2 1 2
300-1 000 8 1 4 1 2
>1 000 1 0 1 0 0
Total 53 16 16 4 15
Source: Private communication, Kwang H. Lee, STEPI, 2008.

Strong producer-user interactions are an essential source of innovation and technology

utilisation and need to be promoted. However, there are barriers to interactive learning
among Korean firms. For instance, firms that are part of a chaebol group may be reluctant
to interact with firms from another chaebol group. Also, interactive learning between
large and small firms is impeded by the low level of competitiveness of small firms. To
overcome this, the government attempted in the 1990s to encourage innovation by small
firms through collaborative R&D with the GRIs and universities. However, success
seems to have been limited, particularly if compared to similar efforts in Chinese Taipei.
Table 1.7. Chaebol supplier firms with turnover of more than KRW 100 billion (2004-2006)
Average R&D Average R&D

Average turnover Average no. of
Year Industry investment intensity
(KRW billions) employees
(KRW billions) (%)
2004 Electronics 184.2 493 8.0 4.3
Automotive 299.1 788 12.2 4.5
Machinery 163.4 367 5.2 3.5
Materials 224.3 424 3.2 1.6
Total 216.8 539 7.8 3.8
2005 Electronics 208.0 514 12.6 6.2
Automotive 337.7 790 10.4 3.0
Machinery 119.7 350 3.7 3.1
Materials 217.5 437 3.8 2.2
Total 244.0 566 9.2 4.1
2006 Electronics 195.0 504 14.5 8.3
Automotive 311.9 704 9.7 3.5
Machinery 213.2 387 5.6 2.6
Materials 200.7 444 3.7 2.1
Total 233.1 539 9.3 4.7
1.2.4. Manufacturing and services

In contrast to many other OECD countries, the services sector in Korea currently
makes a very marginal contribution to aggregate productivity growth. Yet, services
account for around half of Korean GDP and more than 60% of employment. More
attention to innovation in the services sector will help broaden the basis for future growth.
At the same time, a productive and competitive services sector also helps to underpin the
performance of the manufacturing sector (Pilat and Hoffman, 2004). Promising services
include the cultural industries (TV and movies, gaming, etc.), which have shown
spectacular growth in recent years; business services, which show above average growth;
and social services, which have a great deal of potential as Koreas society ages and
social safety nets increase. However, services innovation in Korea is relatively weak
compared to most leading economies, and service industries suffer from low productivity

levels (Figure 1.6). Moreover, the share of services in business R&D is also relatively low
(Figure 1.7), though this is probably mostly due to the powerful performance of the large
manufacturing firms in recent years.
Figure 1.6. Productivity in Korean services, 2003

Percentages
Manufacturing = 100
120
OECD average
97.1
100
80 OECD average
70.5
60
40
Korea
64.8
20 Korea
28.1
0
All services Wholesale and retail trade
Figure 1.7. Share of services in business R&D, 2004
Percentages
50
1995
40
30
20
10
Source: OECD (2007), OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard, OECD, Paris.

According to a study by Lee et al. (2002), knowledge-intensive business services

(KIBS) are underdeveloped in Korea and represented 1.8% of industrial sales in 2002,
only a slight increase from 1.6% in 1996. Among the KIBS, sales of computer-related
services expanded rapidly at an annual rate of 35.5% in 1996-2000, while R&D services
and business services (including consultancy) grew annually by 8.2 and 5.7%,
respectively. Sales in technical services, which include construction technology and
engineering, science and technology services, actually fell on average by 1.5% a year
over the same period. R&D services, business services and technical services are
traditional KIBS which interact closely with manufacturing firms in process or product
innovation. This shows that traditional KIBS directly relevant to innovation grow
relatively slowly, in contrast to computer-related services. All of this reflects the fact that
consulting services, which are regarded as important to the innovation process, are poorly
developed in Korea.
1.2.5. Regional imbalances

Economic activity in Korea is largely concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area,
thereby creating serious geographical imbalances in the national economy. Today, the
capital region has become one of the worlds largest urban agglomerations with a
population of 22.8 million, and its share of Koreas population has risen from 28% in
1970 to almost half (Figure 1.8). Korea has 16 regions, seven of which are metropolises.
The remaining nine provinces differ significantly in their degree of economic
development. Kyonggi province, which is close to Seoul, has developed strongly, and the
eastern regions, especially Kyongbuk and Kyongnam, are more developed than the
western ones, such as Chonnam, Chonbuk, Gangwon and Chungbuk.
One simple, though admittedly crude, measure of the strength of innovation capacity
in each region is the distribution of innovation actors (Chung, 2005). Table 1.8 shows
the number of public research institutes, universities (public and private) and company
research units in each region as of 2006. As the data show, the Seoul metropolitan area
accounts for around 40% of public research institutes and universities and almost two-
thirds of company research units. Although the government has launched initiatives in
other parts of the country, such as the construction of a new government administrative
city and innovation cities and enterprise cities, in order to boost development, the
lack of innovation resources or assets across Korea is seen as the greatest barrier to more
effective regional economic development through innovation.

Figure 1.8. Concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, 1970-2005

Table 1.8. R&D-performing units by sector of performance and region, 2006

In units and percentages
Sector of performance
Research Universities and
Companies Total
institutes colleges
Region
89 115 6 491 6 695

Seoul metropolitan area
(40.46) (39.12) (62.57) (61.5)
10 19 437 466
Pusan
(4.55) (6.46) (4.21) (4.28)
7 11 373 391
Taegu
(3.18) (3.74) (3.60) (3.59)
7 13 223 243
Kwangju
(3.18) (4.42) (2.15) (2.23)
19 18 501 538
Taejon
(8.64) (6.12) (4.83) (4.94)
2 2 152 156
Ulsan
(0.91) (0.68) (1.47) (1.43)
12 14 128 154
Gangwon
(5.45) (4.76) (1.23) (1.41)
10 15 363 388
Chungbuk
(4.55) (5.10) (3.50) (3.56)
8 19 457 484
Chungnam
(3.64) (6.46) (4.41) (4.45)
15 16 169 200
Chonbuk
(6.82) (5.44) (1.63) (1.84)
12 10 155 177
Chonnam
(5.45) (3.40) (1.49) (1.63)
7 25 349 381
Kyongbuk
(3.18) (8.50) (3.36) (3.50)
17 13 543 573
Kyongnam
(7.73) (4.42) (5.23) (5.26)
5 4 33 42
Cheju
(2.27) (1.36) (0.32) (0.39)
R&D-performing units 220 294 10 374 10 888
Source: MoST and KISTEP (2007), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and
Technology and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, Seoul.

1.2.6. Low levels of internationalisation and FDI

Globalisation through FDI, international trade and international movements of labour
is a key driver of economic growth. Although Korea has become more integrated in the
world economy over the past decade, it still ranks low in terms of import penetration, the
stock of inward FDI relative to GDP and foreign workers as a share of the labour force.
After increasing in the wake of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, as a result of the
liberalisation of barriers and the restructuring of the corporate and financial sectors, the
stock of FDI inflows amounted to 11.5% of GDP in 2002. Nevertheless, it was still the
sixth lowest in the OECD area, and inflows of FDI have declined during the past few
years, both in absolute terms and as a share of world flows (OECD, 2007a). As Figure 1.9
shows, FDI inflows averaged 0.9% of GDP from 2000 to 2005, the third lowest level in
the OECD.
Figure 1.9. FDI inflows to OECD countries as a percentage of GDP, average, 2000-05
10 9.7
8
7.3
6.9 6.9
6.2
6
5.3
5.2
4.5
4.3 4.3
4.1
4 3.7 3.8
3.4 3.4 3.5
2.8 2.8 3.0

2.4 2.4
2 1.7
1.4 1.5
1.3
1.1
0.9
0.5
0.2
0
Source: OECD (2007b), Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard, OECD, Paris.
Figure 1.10 shows that domestic ownership of inventions made abroad remains low
(as in Japan). Less surprising, given the relatively low levels of FDI in Korea, foreign
ownership of domestic inventions is also low (Figure 1.11) and suggests a degree of
insularity relative to the OECD average. Outside of the major firms, Koreas R&D system
is even less well connected. Very little R&D carried out in Korea is financed from
abroad, linkages with foreign firms and institutions are relatively weak, and few foreign
researchers and students come to Korea to work or study, a sign that Korea may not draw
sufficiently on the growing global stock of knowledge. The language barrier and the
emphasis on more proprietary industrial research may have contributed to the low level of
international R&D activities; the situation appears to be similar to that of Japan.

Figure 1.10. Domestic ownership of inventions made abroad,1 2001-03

%
90
1991-93
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1. Share of patent applications to the European Patent Office (EPO) invented abroad in total
patents owned by country residents.
Note: Patent counts are based on the priority date, the applicant's country of residence, using
simple counts.
Source: OECD (2007), Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard, OECD, Paris.
Figure 1.11. Foreign ownership of domestic inventions, 2001-03

%
80
1991-93
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Note: Patent counts are based on the priority date, the applicant's country of residence, using
simple counts.

1.3. Framework conditions for innovation
Favourable framework conditions enable and facilitate innovation. The macro-

economic framework, the general business environment, the intensity of competition, and
product and labour market regulations all of which are shaped by institutional and
cultural factors are of key importance to a countrys innovative performance.
1.3.1. Macroeconomic framework and business environment

The macroeconomic framework is on the whole positive and the commitment to a
participatory society has promoted a transparent regulatory regime. Unemployment is
low, as is inflation despite the rise in oil prices. Koreas fiscal position remains sound,
with little public debt and government expenditures at only 29% of GDP, the lowest ratio
in the OECD area (OECD, 2007a).
On the downside, starting a business in Korea is relatively complicated, costly and
time-consuming: in this area, Korea ranks 26th in the OECD and 110th in the world
(World Bank, 2008). In particular, the minimum capital requirement to start a business is
about three times income per capita, compared to an OECD average of only 38%. Such
regulations weaken entrepreneurship, a key driver of innovation.
1.3.2. Competition policy and product and labour market regulation

Commitment to market principles at the highest political level has provided strong
support for competition policies, reform of the financial sector and corporate governance,
and for opening markets to trade and lowering barriers to foreign investment. Significant
progress has been achieved in terms of shifting the focus of the Korea Fair Trade
Commission (KFTC) towards core competition problems and increasing its ability to
enforce competition policy (OECD, 2007c).
Product market competition is a driver of productivity growth, either directly or
indirectly through its positive impact on innovation, at least until a certain intensity of
competition is reached (Aghion et al., 2005). There are indications that some features of
the regulatory system may impede product market competition. Accordingly, the OECD
has developed a system of indicators on product market regulation (Conway et al., 2005):
State control of economic activities, including indicators on public ownership and
involvement in business operations.
Barriers to entrepreneurship, encompassing indicators on regulatory and admini-
strative opacity, administrative burden on start-ups and barriers to competition.
Barriers to trade and investment, including indicators on explicit barriers to trade
and investment and other barriers (regulatory barriers).
As Figure 1.12 shows, Korean product market regulation was among the strongest in
the OECD area in 1998 but has since declined to a level close to the OECD average. State
control has also markedly declined and remains a little below the OECD average. Barriers
to entrepreneurship and to trade and investment remain above the OECD average, as
discussed above. Progress in reforming regulatory policies has played an important role in
the speed and strength of Koreas recovery.

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el an
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1. Sorted by 2003 values. The scale of indicators is 0-6 from least to most restrictive of competition.
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um ze Fra
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Ita A Sp
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Labour market flexibility is also an important factor in economic growth. Koreas

labour market is relatively rigid, and strong opposition to dismissals hampers labour
flexibility (OECD, 2007c). The employment protection accorded to regular workers has
encouraged the hiring of non-regular workers who now account for a third of Koreas
labour force. These workers are paid 20 to 27% less than regular workers, after adjust-
ment for characteristics such as age or experience. A third of these workers are not
covered by any work-related social insurance system. This has probably also contributed
to the rise in income inequality.
1.4. Performance in science, technology and innovation
Koreas commitment to investment in STI is impressive and has undoubtedly

underpinned much of the countrys recent economic growth. This section outlines
patterns of R&D spending, comparing Korea to other leading science and technology
(S&T) countries. In particular, it explores levels of gross domestic expenditure on R&D
(GERD) and business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD); the sites of R&D
performance; the number of Korean researchers and their regional distribution; and the
productivity of S&T. The fact that this section benchmarks Korea against leading S&T
countries (with a considerably higher GDP) rather than with OECD countries with a
similar level of GDP bears witness to the progress Korea has realised.
1.4.1. R&D spending

Korea spent a little under USD 30 billion on R&D in 2006, which puts GERD at
3.23% of GDP, one of the highest levels in the world (Table 1.9 and Figure 1.13). Korea
has also had one of the fastest annual rates of growth of GERD in recent years, far
exceeding that of the G7 countries, albeit considerably below that of China (Figure 1.14),
and has set an ambitious medium-term GERD target of 5% of GDP. Nonetheless, as a
medium-sized country, Koreas R&D expenditure is dwarfed by that of the United States
(which spends twelve times as much) and Japan (which spends more than five times as
much) though is rapidly catching up with the level of expenditure in the United Kingdom.
Table 1.9 also shows that the private sector is by far the biggest investor in R&D,
accounting for around three-quarters of Korean expenditure. This was not always the
case, with the private sector only outspending the public sector in the last 25 years
(Figure 1.15). The annual growth rate of business R&D is around twice the OECD
average, and Korean BERD is now among the highest in the world and is indicative of the
emergence of Korean leaders in industrial technology, especially in information and
communication technologies, automobiles, shipbuilding, and steel. Despite its impressive
growth, Korean private-sector investment represents only about one-quarter of that of
Japanese firms and a mere tenth of that of US business in absolute terms (Table 1.10).
Moreover, Korean growth rates significantly lag those of China.

Table 1.9. Total R&D expenditure by major countries
United United
Korea Japan Germany France China
States Kingdom
(2006) (2005) (2006) (2006) (2006)
(2006) (2005)
R&D expenditure (USD millions) 28 619.0 343 747.5 151 269.6 73 049.8 47 648.9 39 571.1 37 663.8
R&D expenditure based on a

1.0 12.0 5.3 2.6 1.7 1.4 1.3
value of 1.0 for Korea
Ratio to GDP (%) 3.23 2.62 3.33 2.51 2.12 1.78 1.43
R&D expenditure per person

592.6 1 146.5 1 183.9 886.9 754.0 657.1 28.7
(USD)
Government &
24.3 35.1 23.5 28.7 40.1 38.7 24.7
public
R&D
expenditure by
Private 75.4 64.9 76.1 67.6 52.5 42.1 69.1
source of
funds1 (%)
Foreign 0.3 0.0 0.4 3.8 7.3 19.2 1.6
1. Data on R&D funding sources for Germany and France are based on 2005.
Figure 1.13. R&D intensity (gross domestic expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP),
2006 or latest available year
Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, October 2008.

Figure 1.14. Evolution of gross domestic expenditure on R&D, average annual growth rates, 1995-2005
Constant prices
China (2000-2005) 115.2
R&D expenditure in billions of

Finland (1995-2006) 6.0
USD (current PPP), 2005 or
latest available year
Korea 32.0
Canada (1995-2006) 23.1
Sweden (1995-2004) 10.4
OECD 771.5
EU27 231.0
Japan (1996-2005) 130.7
United States (1998-2006) 343.7
Germany 62.5
United Kingdom 35.2
France (2000-2005) 40.4
0 5 10 15 20 25
%
Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, April 2007.
As Korea has caught up with the most technologically advanced countries and moved
towards technological frontiers, it has faced a greater need to conduct more fundamental
research. This has led to a gradual, but discernible, shift in the types of R&D it carries
out. As Table 1.11 shows, there has been an increase in basic research, from 13.6% of
total spending in 1999 to 15.2% in 2006. Given the considerable increases in total R&D
spending over this time, basic research investment has in fact jumped from
KRW 1.63 trillion to KRW 4.14 trillion in just seven years. A similar scale increase has
been observed in experimental development, which now accounts for 65.0% of spending,
compared to 60.7% in 1999. At the same time, the share of applied research spending has
declined, from 25.7% of the total in 1999 to 19.9% in 2006. Table 1.12 shows that recent
Korean figures are closely comparable to those seen in Japan and not too far from those
in the United States.

Figure 1.15. Trends in the composition of R&D expenditure by the private sector, 1975-2005
%
100
76.9
Private sector
71.1
70.3
64.6
60.4
50 39.6
35.4
28.9
Public sector 29.7
23.1
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Source: MoST and KISTEP (2006), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology, Ministry of
Science and Technology and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, Seoul.
Table 1.10. Trends in business R&D in selected countries
Growth of business R&D,

Business enterprise Business R&D expenditure, 2006
1996-2006
Country R&D intensity, USD billions
Annual average growth rate
2006 (current PPP),
(year 2000 USD PPP)
China - 25.7 61.7
Finland 4.0 7.9 4.2
Japan 3.6 3.9 107.1
Korea 3.6 7.9 27.7
United States 3.0 3.4 247.7
Germany 2.8 3.6 46.6
OECD 2.4 3.9 570.6
France 2.3 1.8 26.2
United Kingdom 1.7 1.9 21.9
EU27 1.8 3.5 154.4

Table 1.11. R&D expenditure by research stage, 1999-2006

KRW hundred millions and percentages
Section 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Total 119 218 138 485 161 105 173 251 190 687 221 853 241 554 273 457
(%) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)
Basic 16 255 17 461 20 250 23 732 27 568 33 994 37 068 41 433
(%) (13.6) (12.6) (12.6) (13.7) (14.5) (15.3) (15.3) (15.2)
Growth rate 2.5 7.4 16.0 17.2 16.2 23.2 9.0 11.8
Applied 30 652 33 701 40 759 37 636 39 740 47 121 50 341 54 301
(%) (25.7) (24.3) (25.3) (21.7) 20.8 (21.2) (20.8) (19.9)
Growth rate 7.6 9.9 20.9 7.7 5.6 18.6 6.8 7.9
Development 72 311 87 323 100 096 111 882 123 361 140 738 154 144 177 723
(%) (60.7) (63.1) (62.1) (64.6) (64.7) (63.5) (63.8) (65.0)
Growth rate 4.8 20.8 14.6 11.8 10.3 14.1 9.5 15.3
Table 1.12. R&D expenditure by research stage (2006 or latest available year)
Percentages
Basic research Applied research Experimental development

France (2003) 24.1 36.2 39.7
United States (2004) 18.7 21.3 60.0
Japan (2005) 14.3 22.8 62.9
Korea (2006) 15.2 19.9 65.0
1.4.2. R&D performers

As already discussed, Korean business is by far the largest investor in R&D and
unsurprisingly conducts the majority of R&D in Korea. In fact, as it conducts slightly
more than it pays for itself, the public sector also contributes to Koreas BERD
(Table 1.13). It is also interesting to compare Koreas situation with that of other
countries. Figure 1.16 shows that the proportion of R&D performed in the Korean
business sector is high by international standards, with the Japanese picture the most
comparable. However, most striking is the comparatively low level of R&D expenditure
in universities. Korean spending in this sector is closest to that of China and the Russian
Federation, both of which have traditionally separated research and teaching activities

between national science academies and universities, respectively. This has also been the
case in Korea, as GRIs were originally established to accelerate technology adoption and
adaptation by Korean firms and universities were concerned primarily with teaching. It is
only in recent years that the government has sought to strengthen the research capacities
of universities, a long-term undertaking that will require a number of significant changes.
Table 1.13 also shows that the evolution of expenditure in the public sector over the last
decade has been less kind to the GRIs than to the universities. The former have seen their
budgets increase by more than 50%, but their share of total expenditure has fallen by
more than a quarter. By contrast, research expenditures in universities have almost
doubled over the same period, although their expenditure levels are still only about three-
quarters of those of the GRIs, which remain the main performers of public-sector research.
Figure 1.16. R&D by sector of performance (as a percentage of the national total),
Business enterprises Higher education

Government Private non-profit
Korea
Japan
Sweden
Finland (2006)
United States (2006)
Germany
China
Russian Federation
OECD
EU27
France
United Kingdom
0 20 40 60 80 100
%

Table 1.13. Koreas R&D expenditure structure, by performers, 1997-2006

Government research
Total Universities Private companies
Year institutes
Expenditure Ratio Expenditure Ratio Expenditure Ratio Expenditure Ratio
1997 121 858 100.0 20 689 17.0 12 716 10.4 88 453 72.6
1998 113 366 100.0 20 994 18.5 12 651 11.2 79 721 70.3
1999 119 218 100.0 19 792 16.6 14 314 12.0 85 112 71.4
2000 138 485 100.0 20 320 14.7 15 619 11.3 102 547 74.0
2001 161 105 100.0 21 602 13.4 16 768 10.4 122 736 76.2
2002 173 251 100.0 25 526 14.7 17 971 10.4 129 754 74.9
2003 190 687 100.0 26 264 13.8 19 327 10.1 145 097 76.1
2004 221 853 100.0 29 646 13.4 22 009 9.9 170 198 76.7
2005 241 554 100.0 31 929 13.2 23 983 9.9 185 642 76.9
2006 273 457 100.0 34 971 12.8 27 219 10.0 211 268 77.3
1.4.3. Human resources

With the growth of R&D budgets, the number of researchers in Korea has almost
doubled to reach more than a quarter of a million in the ten years to 2006 (Table 1.14). In
terms of full-time equivalents (FTE), there are approximately 200 000 researchers, giving
Korea 8.3 researchers per 1 000 labour force. This figure is higher than in the major
European economies, though still a little short of the proportion in the United States and
Japan. At the same time, Korean expenditure per researcher has grown in recent years
although it remains well below the levels in Europe, Japan and the United States (Table
1.15). This variance can be largely accounted for by lower costs in Korea rather than by
inferior equipment.
Table 1.14. Number of Korean researchers, 1997-2006
Total researchers Total researchers per 1 000 labour

Year
(head count) force (full-time equivalent)
1997 138 438 4.7
1998 129 767 4.3
1999 134 568 4.6
2000 159 973 4.9
2001 178 937 6.1
2002 189 888 6.2
2003 198 171 6.6
2004 209 979 6.7
2005 234 702 7.6
2006 256 598 8.3
Source: MoST and KISTEP (2007), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology,
Ministry of Science and Technology and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, Seoul.

Table 1.15. Number of researchers in major countries
Researchers per Researchers per Expenditure per

Researchers
1 000 labour force 10 000 population researcher
(FTE)
(FTE) (FTE) (USD)
Korea (2006) 199 990 8.3 41.4 143 102
United States (2005) 1 394 682 9.3 47.0 232 644
Japan (2005) 704 949 10.6 55.2 214 582
Germany (2006) 279 800 6.7 34.0 261 079
France (2005) 204 484 7.4 32.6 222 947
United Kingdom (2005) 180 450 6.1 30.0 219 291
Finland (2006) 40 411 15.1 76.7 178 846
China (2006) 1 223 756 1.6 9.3 30 777
1.4.4. Regional dimension

As mentioned in Section 1.2, Korea suffers from unbalanced growth, with the Seoul
metropolitan area dominating the economy. This has become a pressing political concern,
with successive governments initiating a variety of policies and programmes to help
redress the situation (see Chapter 3, section 3.9). Some of these efforts have centred on
promoting innovation and, to a lesser extent, investments in science and technology, but
they face an uphill task: the historical development of S&T in Korea has mirrored
developments in other parts of the economy, leaving a legacy of concentration in the
capital region. As Table 1.16 shows, almost two-thirds of Korean researchers work in the
Seoul metropolitan area, most of them in companies. Even discounting the private sector,
almost half of all researchers in higher education institutions (HEIs) and around 40% in
public research organisations (PROs) work in and around Seoul. Taejon is the region with
the next highest number of researchers, mostly on account of deliberate government
policies to locate PROs in Daedeok Science Town. Even so, this region has less than 8%
of the total.
Not surprisingly, resources tend to follow researchers, so that around two-thirds of
R&D expenditure goes to the capital region (Table 1.17). Taejon follows, at just over
11%. This is slightly higher than the proportion of researchers (8%) on account of the
expensive facilities at many of the PROs in Daedeok.

Table 1.16. R&D researchers by sector of performance and region, 2006

In headcount and percentages
Companies Total
institutes colleges
Region
6 873 32 879 124 206 163 958
(40.97) (49.87) (71.42) (63.9)
324 4 286 3 038 7 648
Pusan
(1.93) (6.50) (1.75) (2.98)
226 2 163 2 487 4 876
Taegu
(1.35) (3.28) (1.43) (1.90)
94 2 418 1 924 4 436
Kwangju
(0.56) (3.67) (1.11) (1.73)
6 671 5 061 8 095 19 827
Taejon
(39.78) (7.68) (4.65) (7.73)
15 405 3 178 3 598
Ulsan
(0.09) (0.61) (1.83) (1.40)
234 3 719 813 4 766
Gangwon
(1.40) (5.64) (0.47) (1.86)
263 1 773 2 851 4 887
Chungbuk
(1.57) (2.69) (1.64) (1.90)
335 2 530 8 476 11 341
Chungnam
(2.00) (3.84) (4.87) (4.42)
267 3 174 1 181 4 622
Chonbuk
(1.59) (4.81) (0.68) (1.80)
244 813 1 216 2 273
Chonnam
(1.45) (1.23) (0.70) (0.89)
275 3 847 2 553 12 471
Kyongbuk
(1.64) (5.84) (4.80) (4.86)
838 2 553 7 944 11 335
Kyongnam
(5.00) (3.87) (4.57) (4.42)
112 302 146 560
Cheju
(0.67) (0.46) (0.08) (0.22)
R&D researchers (headcount) 16 771 65 923 173 904 256 598

Table 1.17. R&D expenditure and ratio by sector of performance and region, 2006
KRW millions and percentages
Companies Total
institutes colleges
Region
1 098 449 1 495 569 14 746 266 17 340 284
(31.40) (54.94) (69.80) (63.42)
68 057 149 764 373 474 591 295
Pusan
(1.95) (5.50) (1.77) (2.16)
30 278 98 756 183 023 312 057
Taegu
(0.87) (3.63) (0.87) (1.13)
30 900 162 473 188 239 381 612
Kwangju
(0.88) (5.97) (0.89) (1.40)
1 760 100 183 610 1 118 321 3 062 031
Taejon
(50.33) (6.75) (5.29) (11.20)
1 975 29 661 507 545 539 181
Ulsan
(0.06) (1.09) (2.40) (1.97)
31 075 75 278 75 561 181 914
Gangwon
(0.89) (2.77) (0.36) (0.67)
75 022 56 498 331 671 463 191
Chungbuk
(2.15) (2.08) (1.57) (1.69)
87 128 74 856 1 003 312 1 165 296
Chungnam
(2.49) (2.75) (4.75) (4.26)
50 926 81 728 134 944 267 598
Chonbuk
(1.46) (3.00) (0.64) (0.98)
22 472 39 588 168 352 230 412
Chonnam
(0.64) (1.45) (0.80) (0.84)
72 380 172 801 1 308 523 1 533 704
Kyongbuk
(2.07) (6.35) (6.19) (5.68)
154 984 84 719 967 750 1 207 453
Kyongnam
(4.43) (3.11) (4.58) (4.42)
13 305 16 573 19 799 49 677
Cheju
(0.38) (0.61) (0.09) (0.18)
R&D expenditure by sector 3 497 05 2 721 874 21 126 780 27 345 704

1.4.5. STI productivity

There is concern in Korea that although the intensity of R&D investment is among
the worlds highest, it is not being matched by performance. To explore these R&D
efficiency concerns, two common indicators of performance scientific publications and
patents can be considered. Table 1.18 shows that the number of scientific publications
doubled in the six years to 2005 and now amounts to more than 2% of the global total,
placing Korea in 14th place. Still, Korea lags behind the leading scientific countries in
number of articles per million population (Figure 1.17). The fact that so much R&D is
conducted in the private sector may partly account for this, given relatively weak
incentives to publish in open scientific journals.
Korea has also improved its citations per paper ranking (30th in the world in 2005; see
Figure 1.18 for a cross-country comparison), a markedly lower ranking than that the
number of papers published. There are several reasons for disparities between publication
and citation rates, including database and language biases and the differences in
publication behaviour in different scientific fields. But even if these are taken into
account, it is likely that many Korean scientists fail to publish ground-breaking original
research that might be cited by their international peers.
At the same time, Korea shows a steady rise in the number of triadic patents filed,
surpassing both the United Kingdom and France (Table 1.19). The number of triadic
patent families per million population is one of the highest in the OECD, and even higher
than that of the United States. Despite these impressive figures, there are Korean concerns
over relatively low levels of patent exploitation, which are discussed in later sections of
this report.
In a more ambitious econometric study exploring the impacts of R&D on economic
performance, Shin et al. (2006) found that the Korean R&D stock appeared to represent
around 30% of Koreas economic growth for the period 1990-2004 (Table 1.20), an
increase on the contribution of 23% for the period 1971-89. Unsurprisingly, capital
appeared to be the most significant contributor to Korean economic growth for the same
period, as the importance of labour steadily declined. The study also found that the
efficiency of Koreas R&D investment was 0.187 for the period 1990-2004, an increase
from 0.137 for 1971-89. Accordingly, the studys authors argue that the efficiency of
Koreas R&D investment has been on a par with the OECD average since the 1990s.
Table 1.18. Koreas scientific publications, 1999-2007
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2007
Number of papers published 11 324 12 472 14 892 15 863 18 791 19 294 23 048 25 494
World share 1.27 1.39 1.61 1.71 1.85 1.96 2.02 2.17
World rank 16 16 15 14 14 14 14 12
Average citations per paper 1.88 2.01 2.18 2.39 2.63 2.80 3.04 3.27
World rank 34 35 34 33 30 29 30 30
Source: MoST (2007a), Science and Technology Yearbook 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul, and MEST (2008), Becoming
an S&T Power Nation through the 577 Initiative, Science and Technology Basic Plan of the Lee Myung Bak Administration, Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology, Seoul.

Figure 1.17. Scientific articles per million population, 2005

2005 1995
1 400
1 200
Country share in total
world scientific articles,
1 000 2005
800
600
400
200
Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, April 2008; National Science Foundation (2008), Science and Engineering Indicators
2008.
Table 1.19. Economies share of triadic patent families, 20061
Average annual growth rate, Triadic patent families

2006 1996
1996-2006 per million population, 20062
United States 30.91 33.07 2.1 53.3

Japan 27.51 27.13 2.9 111.1
Germany 11.96 14.09 1.1 74.9
Korea 5.40 0.82 24.1 57.7
France 4.85 5.49 1.5 39.5
United Kingdom 3.22 4.24 0.0 27.4
China 0.94 0.06 35.6 0.3
Finland 0.66 0.91 -0.4 64.7
India 0.26 0.04 25.4 0.1
Chinese Taipei 0.23 0.10 12.1 5.9
Note: Patent counts are based on the earliest priority date, the inventor's country of residence and fractional counts.
1. Patents filed at the European Patent Office (EPO), the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) which
protect the same invention. Data from 1998 onwards are OECD estimates.
2. 2005 instead of 2006 for China, Chinese Taipei and India.
Source: OECD, Patent Database, October 2008.

Figure 1.18. Relative prominence of cited scientific literature, 2003
Switzerland
United States
United Kingdom
Finland
Germany
France
EU15
Japan
Singapore
Korea
Chinese Taipei
China
India
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Table 1.20. Contribution of the R&D stock to Koreas economic growth, 1971-2004
Percentages
1971-1989 1990-2004 1971-2004

Growth Contribution Growth Contribution Growth Contribution
Labour 2.22 29.1 1.17 20.4 1.75 25.9
Capital 3.24 42.5 2.58 45.0 2.95 43.4
Total factor productivity 2.16 28.4 1.98 34.6 2.08 30.7
R&D stock 1.77 23.3 1.74 30.4 2.07 30.6
Real growth rate 7.62 100 5.73 100 6.79 100
Source: Shin et al. (2006), Effects of R&D Investment on Economic Growth and Income Distribution, Ministry of Science and Technology,
Seoul.
In summary, this set of performance data seems to suggest that Korea is making
steady progress in transitioning to a more knowledge-intensive developmental trajectory.
Progress might be slower than some would like, but it should be acknowledged that many
of the investments and reforms that embody transition typically take several years to
achieve their desired impacts. Furthermore, indicators such as publication and patent
counts can only ever provide a partial picture and care needs to be taken when using them
for purposes of comparison.

2. MAIN FEATURES OF THE INNOVATION SYSTEM 87
Chapter 2
Main Features of the Innovation System
This chapter describes the key actors in the Korean innovation system. It begins with an
account of the role and performance of large national firms, in many respects the main
players in Korean innovation. It then considers the role and performance of small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), an increasingly important sector for Korean innova-
tion performance. It then turns to public-sector actors, starting with government research
institutes (GRIs), which have played a crucial role in Koreas ability to move into high-
technology sectors. Next, it considers Korean universities, which have played a modest
though increasingly important role in research, but have been crucial for the mass
education of young Korean adults. In terms of a key factor, human resources for science,
technology and innovation, the chapter looks at the demand for skills and examines how
overall arrangements for education and training are geared to meeting this demand.
Finally, it discusses linkages between the various actors in the system with a view to
assessing their strengths and overall coherence.
2.1. Large national firms
As Chapter 1 has shown, large national firms have played a dominant role in Koreas
economic development. Their dominance extends across several industrial sectors, so that
while Korea is perhaps best known around the world for its information technology (IT)
and electronics industries, it is also a major player in several others. For instance, Korea
became the fifth largest automobile producer in 2005, its steel companies have some of
the best facilities in the world (and POSCO is the worlds third largest steel manufacturer),
and its shipbuilding industry dominates world markets. By 2006, the five largest Korean
firms by revenue were Samsung (USD 158 billion), SK (USD 76 billion), LG (USD 61 billion),
Hyundai Motors (USD 30 billion), and POSCO (USD 27.5 billion).
This section looks more closely at some of these large companies before exploring the
model of catch-up followed by the leading chaebol (Koreas large family-owned
conglomerates), particularly its consequences for contemporary innovation strategy and
its impacts on Koreas industrial ecology. It then examines Koreas continuing heavy
dependence on technology imports, although the situation is improving owing to signifi-
cant R&D investments by the chaebol, which have grown over the last decade and shifted
towards more basic research. This phenomenon and the increased levels of patenting by
Korean industry are discussed. Finally, Korean firms exploitation of emerging technologies
is briefly reviewed.

88 2. MAIN FEATURES OF THE INNOVATION SYSTEM
2.1.1. Koreas large business groups

The Samsung Group is Koreas largest chaebol. Its numerous businesses include
Samsung Electronics, the worlds largest electronics company, Samsung Heavy Industries,
one of the worlds biggest shipbuilders, and Samsung Engineering and Construction, a
major construction contractor. As the worlds fifth largest transnational corporation,
Samsung had revenues of USD 158 billion in 2006 and accounts for more than 20% of
Koreas total exports.
Compared to other major Korean companies, Samsung survived the Asian financial
crisis of the late-1990s relatively unharmed. Samsung Electronics was spun off from the
Samsung Group and has since come to dominate the group and the worldwide semi-
conductor business. It expanded production dramatically to become the worlds largest
manufacturer of DRAM chips (see Box 2.1), flash memory, and optical storage drives and
aims to become the worlds top manufacturer of 20 products by 2010. It is already one of
the worlds leading manufacturers of liquid crystal displays and next generation mobile
phones. Samsung has worked hard to establish industry standards, organising an in-house
Technological Standardisation Committee in 2001 and operating a Standardisation Office
with 300 employees. The company has placed particular emphasis on trying to standardise
emerging technologies or products, such as MPGE-4/7 (for next-generation mobile
communication), DVD, memory, DMB and WiBro. WiBro, which has been developed
jointly by Samsung Electronics, Intel and Motorola, gained the international standardisation
qualification from the International Telecommunication Union in 2007.
Box 2.1. Samsungs DRAM technology development strategy

Samsung Electronics strategy to develop DRAM (dynamic random access memory) can be divided into
three periods. In the first, from entry to the development of 64K DRAM chips, the company depended on
external resources for the necessary core technologies. In the second period, leading up to the development of
the 256K DRAM, reliance on externally acquired technologies remained high. In the third period, when the
1M DRAM was developed, the role of internally acquired technologies became crucial.
Stage 1. To secure the required technologies, Samsung Electronics focused on purchasing technologies from
overseas where possible. In particular, it imported the core and most difficult technologies, i.e. design and
wafer fabrication technologies, from overseas: 64K DRAM design technology from Micron Technology and
Zytrex (United States), and wafer process technology from Sharp (Japan). It also continued to accumulate
technologies and experience with the manufacture of semiconductors following its takeover of Korea
Semiconductor Co. in the mid-1970s and manufactured home appliances. As Samsung Electronics began to
manufacture home appliances, it accumulated the mass-production technology and know-how for standardised
products that constitute the core element of DRAM competitiveness. These accumulated technologies and
knowledge served as a crucial basis for DRAM assembly technology.
Stage 2. As for 64K DRAM, Samsung imported the design technology for 256K DRAM from Micron
Technology. However, drawing on its experience in the development of 64K DRAM, Samsung adopted an
approach based on externally acquired wafer fabrication and assembly technologies. For this purpose,
Samsung explored the literature on 256K DRAM production processes and technological specifications,
received technology training from technology exporters and technological advice from external experts.
Stage 3. The external acquisition of design technology was conducted through examination of technical
information from advanced firms, reverse engineering, and careful analysis of other DRAM designs. At the
same time, it continued to develop wafer fabrication and assembly technologies using internally accumulated
knowledge. In addition, to shorten the time frame for the commercialisation of new products, Samsung
undertook the construction of mass-production lines and engaged in joint development of equipment in
consultation with equipment manufacturers.
Source: STEPI (2002), Changing Strategies for Business Innovation and the Implication for S&T Policy, Science and Technology Policy
Institute, Seoul.

Samsung Electronics has developed a very strong network of R&D collaborators

across Korea, which includes: SMEs in Seoul, Daejon and Kyeonggi; government
research institutes (GRIs): the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), the
Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) and the Korea Automotive Technology
Institute (KATECH); and universities: Seoul, Seoul National, Hongik, Yonsei, Sogang,
Hanyang, POSTECH, Kyungpook, Kookman, Pusan, Konkuk, Inha, Sungkyunkwan,
Korea, Incheon, Ayou and Ewha. It has also initiated collaborations with a number of US
companies, but it is frequently noted that its traditional management style will need to
change significantly in order to operate effectively in the necessarily open form of these
alliances.
The Hyundai Group underwent massive restructuring following the 1997 Asian
financial crisis and the founders death in 2001. Today, many companies bearing the
Hyundai name are legally unrelated, with each company having a different chairman.
Two of these groups are considered here: the Hyundai Motor Company and Hynix
Semiconductor.
The Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive
Group, is Koreas largest and the worlds sixth largest car manufacturer. Hyundai
operates the worlds largest integrated manufacturing facility in Ulsan; it is capable of
producing 1.6 million units annually. In 1998 Hyundai acquired rival Kia Motors. In
2000, the company established a strategic alliance with DaimlerChrysler and severed its
partnership with the Hyundai Group. Hyundai has manufacturing plants in the United
States, China, India and Turkey. Its major R&D is conducted at the Namyang Technology
Research Centre but it also has R&D centres in Detroit, Los Angeles and Irvine in the
United States, Frankfurt in Germany, and Chibo in Japan.
HMC progressively built up its technology capacity through technology imports and
internal capability development over three decades, moving from manufacture for the
local market to a focus on exports. In the catch-up phase, when the focus was on
assembly and models for the domestic market, there was significant effort to build
capabilities through links to external technology sources and internal technology
accumulation. The Korean automobile industry, however, remains weak in generic and
core technologies, in the parts industry, in flexible manufacturing systems, and in quality.
The industry is still catching up with the leading companies technologies through
international co-operative R&D.
In achieving its present strategic capability, HMCs approach to internal R&D shifted
focus from problem solving to basic research, and technology sources have changed from
advanced car makers to specialised services firms in component technologies. In addition
to reverse engineering and developing imported technology, it has formed alliances with
major car manufacturers to access emerging technologies. For example, HMC plans to
commercialise a hydrogen-fuelled car through co-operative R&D with International Fuel
Cells of the United States and has already developed GDI (gasoline direct injection) with
Mitsubishi of Japan. In addition, the organisation has been restructured from a traditional
hierarchical model to one in which authority is delegated to middle management and
ad hoc teams are established to address specific issues as they emerge (see Table 2.1).

Table 2.1. Characteristics of HMCs technology accumulation process
Catch-up Towards strategic capability

Acquisition sources Advanced automaker Specialised technology service firm
Introduced technology
Collection and integration technology Segmented element technology
content
Level of introduced
Technology during the consolidation period Technology under development
technology
Flexible organisation; frequent organisational Hypertext organisation; operation of ad hoc
Type of organisation
change teams
Source: STEPI (2002), Changing Strategies for Business Innovation and the Implication for S&T Policy, Science and Technology Policy
Institute, Seoul.
Hynix Semiconductor Inc., which spun off from the Hyundai Group in 2001, is the
worlds sixth largest semiconductor company, focusing on DRAM and flash memory
chips, and the second largest manufacturer of memory chips. In 2006, a global
manufacturing network was established with the construction in China of Hynix-ST
Semiconductor Inc., a wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary. In 2007, its turnover rose
by 32% to USD 8 billion.
In 2006 Hynix demonstrated its technological leadership over other chipmakers, when
it became the first company to receive Intel validation for 512Mb DDR2 products,
developed with 80 nanometre technology, and for 1Gb DDR2 products with 66 nanometre
technology. The competitive edge for Hynix is the refresh rate of its 80 nanometre
DRAM products, which is more than double that of its competitors products.
It has also initiated an enterprise-wide innovation system called RTIP (Real Time,
Interactive & Parallel). The emphasis is on teams working in parallel and with external
suppliers and effective communication with internal and external partners. Previous
innovation programmes tended to take a bottom-up approach, assuming that innovation
would flow from incremental adjustments to a given work environment. RTIP, however,
is much more transformational. It is about fundamentally changing how work is done and
information is shared. It is about joining the entire Hynix organisation together as a
networked community with common goals and the ability to get things done (Hynix,
2007).
LG, established in 1947, now operates through some 36 affiliates in three main
industries electronics and consumer appliances, chemicals, and telecommunications.
The company has more than 72 000 employees in more than 120 overseas operations,
including 77 subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. LG Electronics is the
worlds largest producer of CDMA handsets, DVD players, optical storage devices, air
conditioners, canister vacuum cleaners and microwave ovens. In 1999, it launched its first
foray into the US consumer electronics market by purchasing a recognised American
company, Zenith Corporation. In 2003, it launched a comprehensive holding company,
LG Corp; it was the first major Korean corporation to introduce a holding company
structure which separates its investment and business divisions. LG was previously
primarily known for its low-cost home appliances, such as air conditioners and
refrigerators, but the conglomerate now has its sights set on becoming one of the worlds
top three consumer electronics companies by 2010. Like Samsung, LG is also seeking to

establish industry standards, focusing upon standardisation in mobile communication,

DTV, home network, DRM (digital rights management), wireless networks, etc.
2.1.2. From catch-up to leadership

The overarching strategic goal of the latecomer firm and of its country is to catch up
with industrially advanced firms in industrially advanced countries. It is its catch-up
situation which creates the critical strategic framework and justifies practices and
perspectives that may have to be abandoned or modified once catch-up has been
accomplished practices such as targeting, government-induced collaboration, and
collective risk reduction through public facilitation (Mathews, 2001). Catch-up can be
characterised in terms of enhancement of technological capabilities (both deepening and
broadening) and enhancement of access to or linkage with customers in advanced markets
(see Box 2.2). During much of Koreas catch-up phase, access to global markets and
knowledge was mainly driven by the chaebol. These have enhanced their technological
capabilities via technical licensing arrangements with foreign firms, imports of capital
goods and components, and exporting through OEM, ODM and OBN (see Box 2.3).
Box 2.2. Sequence of steps for establishing high-technology industries

According to Mathews (2001), all high-technology industries successfully created in East Asia have
followed a general sequence of steps:
Step 1. Preparing the ground: ensuring that skills, knowledge, contacts and companies are established.
Step 2. Seeding/implantation: technology acquisition and resource leverage, leading to adaptation and
improvement.
Step 3. Propagation: financial resources, enterprise development, product development and infra-
structure support to encourage firms to take up the new technologies.
Step 4. Sustainability: deepening industry structures, R&D capabilities, and social structures of
innovation.
The process is then extended through a new round of seeding, propagation and sustainability, with the
newly created technological capabilities serving as the platform for the next.
Box 2.3. OEM, ODM and OBM
OEM. Original equipment manufacturer: a producer that provides a product to its customers, who proceed to
modify or bundle it before distributing it to their customers, i.e. one company uses a component of another
company in its product, or sells the product of another company under its own brand.
ODM. Original design manufacturer: a company that manufactures a product which ultimately will be
branded by another firm for sale. Such companies allow the brand firm to produce the product without having
to engage in the organisation or running a factory. A primary attribute of this business model is that the ODM
owns and/or designs in-house the products that are branded by the buying firm.
OBM. Original brand manufacturer: a company that designs and conducts R&D for new products; it also
organises, distributes and uses its own brand names and captures post-production value added.

Ernst (2000) describes Koreas catch-up in the electronics industry as based upon a
narrow specialisation on commodity-type products, such as semiconductors and liquid
crystal displays (LCDs). Its success was less due to Koreas strength in R&D than on its
capacity to raise sufficient funding to invest in mass production facilities. Only the
chaebol had this capacity, as they enjoyed privileged access to investment capital. They
therefore came to dominate Koreas sales and exports and were able to recruit the best
workers, technicians, engineers and managers. Their dominance squeezed out the possi-
bility of the emergence of a dynamic SME sector; this continues to have consequences for
component and supplier industries in Korea and contributes to a large technology trade
deficit (see below). The extreme degree of concentration in a handful of chaebol still
distinguishes the Korean electronics industry from that of Japan, where none of the big
electronics groups comes close to achieving the overwhelming dominance found in
Korea.
Historically, the narrow specialisation in commodity-type products provided insuf-
ficient pressure to improve the domestic knowledge base, which in turn proved a
constraint on improving specialisation. At a result, once a chaebol reached the limits of
easy expansion of capacity and market share for a particular product, it tended to move
on to a new product group that promised rapid market expansion. Such octopus-like
diversification also proved detrimental to capability formation and knowledge deepening
(Ernst, 2000). The Asian financial crisis curtailed much of this kind of expansion, as the
chaebol were forced to concentrate upon a limited number of core businesses. This led
them to greatly expand their in-house R&D capacity over the last decade, with the result
that they are now genuine world leaders in several product and technology lines. As the
data in Figure 2.1 show, Korean industry has been increasing its technological advantage
across a broad spectrum of industries, most notably in consumer electronics.
Thus, the growth and technological progress of Korean manufacturing has been led
by the rapid productivity growth of large firms in the electronics and automobile
industries (Woo, 2003), which have moved well beyond the catch-up phase. Particularly
in the electronics industry, they have moved from global export production bases for
software and hardware to commercially viable innovations and standards. In doing so,
they have reduced, to a significant extent, their dependence upon sub-contracting,
licensing and OEM. Furthermore, by investing in R&D labs, they have strengthened their
R&D capacity, accumulated new process engineering technologies, and broadened the
range of export products in which they occupy a world leadership position (Hobday et al.,
2004).
On this evidence, it would appear that the leading Korean chaebol have made a
successful transition from fast followers to leaders. However, it would be a mistake to
view these firms as occupying leadership positions across the board. Instead, they offer a
portfolio of products, some of which are technologically advanced and others less so.
Many firms in many product areas have yet to reach the innovation frontier and even the
leading chaebol continue to produce large volumes of products under sub-contracting and
licensing agreements. Indeed, besides the substantial additional risks and costs of
increased R&D and original new product development associated with choosing an
innovation leadership strategy, Korean firms would risk challenging their traditional sub-
contracting partners in the United States and Japan who, fearing direct competition from
their Korean suppliers, might withdraw from OEM and licensing arrangements (see
Box 2.4). Thus, corporate innovation strategies tend to focus on the needs of specific
products (or closely related product families) rather than the firm in its entirety, and

typically embody a mix of leadership, followership and latecomer positions according

to their product portfolios (Hobday et al., 2004).
Figure 2.1. Index of revealed technological specialisation1 for Korea (1993-2001)

Electricity/electronics
2.5 Instruments
Chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Process engineering
Mechanical engineering, machinery
2.0 Consumer goods, civil engineering
Revealed technological advantage (RTA)
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Total 1993-95 1996-98 1999-2001
1. This index relates the relative share of a technology in a country/firm to the share this technology has in all countries/national wide. A value
>1 indicates that the technology is over-represented in the country/firm compared to the rest of the world/economy and thus indicates a strong
position in that technology.
Source: Dachs et al. (2007), The Technological Competencies of Koreas Firms: A Patent Analysis, in J. Mahlich and W. Pascha (eds.),
Innovation and Technology in Korea: Challenges of a Newly Advanced Economy, Springer, Heidelberg.
Box 2.4. Pros and cons of OEM
OEM arrangements have proven to be one of the most cost-effective methods for acquiring core
capabilities in production and investment, providing the supplier with a high volume of business, which
makes possible the realisation of scale economies. The often tedious and gruelling qualification process that
any potential supplier has to complete successfully in order to compete for contracts opens up a variety of
learning possibilities with regard to business organisation and the use of technology. In addition, customers
often provide technical assistance in engineering and manufacturing processes in order to ensure quality and
cost efficiency. OEM arrangements, however, can also have substantial drawbacks. For example, a firm may
become so locked into an OEM arrangement that it is hindered from developing its own independent brand
name recognition and marketing channels. Furthermore, profit margins are substantially lower in OEM sales
than in own brand name sales, which in turn makes it difficult for suppliers to muster the capital needed to
invest in R&D that might eventually lead to the introduction of new products.
Source: Ernst (2000), Catching Up and Post-Crisis Industrial Upgrading: Searching for New Sources of Growth in Koreas Electronics
Industry, East-West Center Working Paper, No. 2 March 2000, East-West Center, Honolulu.

In fact, beyond the chaebol, much Korean industry still remains in the imitative mode,
with R&D efforts oriented towards exploitation of mature and advanced technologies for
market expansion in selected areas. This is not necessarily a bad thing: innovation should
not be confused with a sole focus upon leading-edge high technology, and many, if not
most, firms can benefit from exploitation of existing technologies (not to mention non-
technological forms of innovation such as organisational change). However, there are
limits to this approach, particularly because of the emergence of powerful new
competitors in China (see below).
There are also lingering concerns about the readiness of Korean firms to adopt
leadership positions given the management style they have traditionally followed.
According to Kim (2001), Koreans typically believe a firms success rests largely with
the top managers personal skills. This fostered a management style in the chaebol that in
some ways resembled a military bureaucracy, in that it was hierarchical and centrally
controlled. However, it was relatively less formalised than a military bureaucracy,
meaning that firms could adapt to changes once they were decided at the top. While such
organisations were well suited to imitative reverse engineering and production-oriented
tasks during the catch-up era, the limitations of this command-control management style
are now well recognised in Korea, particularly for the pursuit of higher levels of
innovation. Yet, it has become apparent that while the formal organisational structure can
be readily changed, it is more difficult and time consuming to change the behaviour and
attitudes of managers and employees.
2.1.3. Korean industrial ecology

Given their dominance, the strategies of the chaebol have determined the overall
product mix and capabilities of Korean industry. This dominance is widely considered to
have had a somewhat negative effect on SMEs that supply parts and components and
engage in complementary support activities. Although formally independent, most of
these firms are tightly integrated into the vertical production networks of the chaebol.
Furthermore, as sub-contractors tend to work for only one manufacturer they are locked
into a fairly closed production network controlled by a particular chaebol and their very
limited decision-making autonomy has significantly limited their attempts to improve
their international competitiveness (Ernst, 2000).
This is well illustrated by the dual structure of the Korean electronics industry, in
which large conglomerates play a leading role in both domestic and global markets but
other groups of companies have weak technological competences (Woo, 2003). This
weakness affects the chaebol, which are unable to obtain capital goods technology and
key components in Korea and must therefore depend upon US and Japanese suppliers.
The result is a high import cost structure (see Box 2.5).
This dual structure is also found in the automobile industry, as firms such as HMC are
poorly supported by the local capital goods and components industry and rely heavily on
foreign imports. At the same time, many Korean component suppliers are very dependent
upon final auto assemblers such as HMC for orders, and almost all production is targeted
at the domestic market. The strategy of such businesses has been to copy, develop and
improve a well-tested fast-follower strategy that focuses upon quality, price and rapid
delivery rather than product sophistication. However, such companies now face a
challenge: the fast-follower strategy quickly reproducing and improving on new
products has worked in the past but the capacity for low-cost product imitation may
soon be challenged by large players with similar strategies, for example from China

(Hobday et al., 2004). Korean suppliers are vulnerable to such competition, since they are
weak in areas such as independent technological development, purchasing and sales, and
the capability to collect information on global market trends, for which they mostly rely
upon parent companies. Because they pay considerably lower wages than the final auto
assemblers (owing to pressures from the large conglomerates to cut costs), it has become
increasingly difficult to attract highly skilled labour (Woo, 2003; see also section 2.6).
Furthermore, the perception in Korea is that western and Japanese firms are becoming
less inclined to license their technologies, which, if accurate, would close off some
possibilities for imitation. At the same time, there are all the usual risks and difficulties of
becoming a product creator as well as uncertainty over who the customers might be for
such products in the Korean market (Hobday et al., 2004).
Box 2.5. Korean capital goods technology
To make the transition to leadership, latecomer firms need access to advanced, usually foreign, capital
goods technology in order to design and manufacture new products. In some cases, this access requires deep
technological knowledge of the capital goods and systems in question. For example, leading foreign
manufacturers of microprocessors and automobiles work continually with high-technology specialist capital
goods producers in advance of new product development in order to ensure design for manufacture or
produceability. For the leading companies in Korea, moves to develop radically new products would require
more intense and direct collaboration with foreign suppliers of capital goods and the designers of key
components. This would in turn require a greater physical presence in Korea of capital goods makers and
greater capabilities on the part of Korean manufacturers to shape the development of new capital goods. At
the moment, most physical equipment has to be imported from foreign industry leaders through agents in
Korea or small subsidiaries of major companies.
In electronics, automobiles and other manufacturing sectors, leading Korean firms point to weaknesses in
the local supply of capital goods and related technologies. For example, to move towards a full-service,
supply-chain approach, the automotive industry has only a few domestic Korean suppliers that are able to
meet its quality, technology and service requirements. As the chaebol move into more sophisticated designs
for global markets, they need to collaborate with and rely upon the producers of the highest-technology capital
goods. In the automotive and electronics industries, as the chaebol approach technology frontiers, they tend to
source globally in search of the suppliers of the most advanced technology. This involves forming difficult
arms length partnerships with foreign capital goods producers (mostly Japanese, but also some US suppliers),
relegating local producers to low technology fields and small niches. The latter find it increasingly difficult to
compete with the capability and R&D spending of international competitors. Furthermore, they tend to have a
credibility problem even if they are able to master the technology because they lack the foreign suppliers
strong reputation. As a result, many have resigned themselves to lower-technology options for which they
have proven advantages in terms of price and quality. At the same time, these local producers feel threatened
by the emergence of cheaper capital goods and component suppliers from China and see themselves as
sandwiched between lower-cost regional producers and high-technology foreign leaders.
Source: Hobday et al. (2004), Approaching the Innovation Frontier in Korea: The Transition Phase to Leadership, Research Policy,
Vol. 33.
2.1.4. Technology trade

Given such reliance upon overseas technology suppliers, it is not surprising that the
domestic market for technology trade worth around USD 3 billion in 2005 is about
half the size of the market for foreign technology trade (Table 2.2). Around 90% of
domestic transactions are business-to-business, with the remaining 10% involving
technology transfers from public research organisations (PROs) and universities to
businesses. The latter are discussed below.

Table 2.2. Size of Koreas technology market, 2005
Market size (USD millions)

Type Amount Total
Business-to-business 2 700
Domestic trade 3 000
Government-to-business 300
Technology import 4 500
Foreign trade 6 000
Technology export 1 500
Source: Korea Technology Transfer Centre, cited in Ilshin (2007), Venture Capital in Korea, presentation to the OECD Country Review
Unit, October 2007, Seoul.
Figure 2.2 confirms the high dependency of Korean firms on foreign technologies: the
level of import content of Korean exports is the highest among the leading industrial
countries and around three times higher than for Japanese exports. This coincides with a
substantial technology trade deficit, as shown in Figure 2.3, which also indicates the
(often substantial) technology trade surpluses of other leading economies. The data seem
to imply that Koreas technological capabilities are far below those of Japan and other
developed countries and that Korean firms still rely heavily upon foreign technologies for
their products and processes. In other words, Korea would still seem to have some
catching up to do to gain technological parity with the leading economies.
Figure 2.2. Import content of exports, 19951 and 2000

% 2000 1995
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
1. Data for China 1997.


Figure 2.3. Technology balance of payments as a percentage of GDP, 20051
5.5
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Japan
Finland
Germany
France
Korea
-9.4
-0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

%
1. Data for France and Korea 2003.
However, care must be taken when interpreting the data. First, sectors such as
electrical machinery, radio/television and communication equipment, and office,
accounting and computing machinery are known for the high import content of their
exports, owing to the international division of labour in production of parts and
components and final assembly. These are precisely the industries in which Korea has a
strong presence. Second, an examination of recent technology trade trends presents a
more positive picture. As Table 2.3 shows, while the technology trade deficit has slowly
risen in absolute terms, the annual growth rate of technology exports has outstripped that
of technology imports by more than four to one. Indeed, the trend data would seem to
indicate that Korea is on the path to developing internationally competitive technological
capabilities.
Table 2.3. Trends in Koreas technology trade, 1999-2006

USD millions
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 AGR

Technology trade (A+B) 2 879 3 263 3 262 3 359 4 052 5 564 6 150 6 735 12.9
Technology exports (A) 193 201 619 638 816 1 416 1 625 1 897 38.6
Technology imports (B) 2 686 3 063 2 643 2 721 3 236 4 148 4 525 4 838 8.7
Balance (A-B) -2 493 -2 862 -2 024 -2 083 -2 420 -2732 -2 900 -2 941 -
Note: AGR indicates average annual growth rate (%).
Source: MoST (2007a), Science and Technology Yearbook 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.

The rapid growth of technology exports no doubt reflects Koreas strengthened technological
capability, particularly in manufacturing, which has been underpinned by heavy investments in in-house
R&D. But the picture is more complex, as indicated by a breakdown of its technology import and export
figures. As Table 2.4 shows, the United States is the largest recipient of Korean royalty payments,
followed at some distance by Japan. In fact, over recent years, royalty payments to Japan have remained
quite stable, while those to the United States have increased markedly. Korea also seems to be
broadening its technology sourcing, with France, Germany and other countries accounting for more
than a quarter of total royalties paid in 2006.
Table 2.4. Technology import royalties paid by Korea, 1995-2006

USD millions
Country 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

United States 962 1 819 1 484 1 609 1 838 2 424 2 734 3 016
Japan 695 527 392 403 468 478 584 515
Germany 79 101 120 133 153 148 144 170
France 31 153 57 76 120 240 204 236
Others 181 463 590 501 658 857 860 901
Total 1 947 3 063 2 643 2 721 3 236 4 147 4 525 4 838
Source: KOITA (2007), Industrial Technology White Book, Korea Industrial Technology Association, Seoul.
In contrast, China is the main recipient of Koreas technology exports, with around
35% of the technology export royalties received by Korea in 2006 (Table 2.5). The
United States is the second largest purchaser of Korean technology, accounting for more
than one-quarter of the total, with other countries accounting for less than 5% each.
Taken together, these figures show that Korea remains heavily dependent upon US and
Japanese technologies, with technology imports around ten times greater in value than
exports. The growth rate in Korean technology exports to both countries certainly
outstrips the growth rate in technology imports, but from a very low base. It is therefore
likely to take Korea a considerable amount of time at best to achieve balanced technology
trade with both countries. Furthermore, the rapid growth in technology exports to China is
a sign of the latters rapid industrialisation and the important part played by Korean firms
in that process. In many ways, these figures confirm Koreas position as economically
sandwiched between a rapidly growing China, which is quickly moving up the product
ladder, and Japan, which retains a comparative advantage in a number of advanced
industries.
By type of technology, only technology trade related to machinery recorded a surplus
in 2005 (Figure 2.4). By contrast, information technologies recorded the largest deficit.
While electrical/electronics and communication technologies also recorded a large deficit,
their exports are relatively large, signalling a high degree of intra-technology trade.
Table 2.6 summarises technology trade in 2005 by firm size. Technology imports,
technology exports, and the resulting trade deficit are all dominated by large companies.
While SMEs accounted for 9.6% of total technology exports and 18.1% of total
technology imports, this trend is changing, with SMEs technology imports and exports
increasing at a faster rate than those of large companies.

Table 2.5 Technology import royalties received by Korea, 1995-2006

USD millions
Country 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

China 18 80 186 182 262 377 719 666
United States 1 11 197 96 115 230 285 516
Indonesia 5 12 1 61 60 67 80 77
Japan 4 1 32 33 52 67 63 58
Others 84 97 203 266 326 675 478 580
Total 112 201 619 638 816 1 416 1 625 1 897
Source: KOITA (2007), Industrial Technology White Book, Korea Industrial Technology Association, Seoul.
Figure 2.4. Value of technology imports (TI) and exports (TE) by technology type, 2005
USD millions
Space
Medicine/healthcare
Agricultural
Communication
Information TI
TE
Electrical/electronics
Chemical process
Materials
Machinery
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Source: MoST (2006a), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Sciences and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Table 2.6. Technology trade by firm size, 2005

USD millions
Technology exports Technology imports Balance

Large firms 1 439.3 3 692.6 -2 253.3
SMEs 156.5 818.5 -662

A survey of Korean firms by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) reveals
the reasons for firms to engage in technology trade (Table 2.7). There are few surprises in
terms of technology imports. The information on technology exports is perhaps more
interesting, since it indicates that profit maximisation is the main motive for technology
exports. This suggests that Korean technology is internationally competitive, with foreign
firms increasingly willing to purchase it.
Table 2.7. Results of a survey of Korean firms main motives for technology trade
Technology exports Technology imports

(692 survey responses) (558 survey responses)
Maximising profit through technology sales 43.6% Acquiring competing technologies 34.9%
Entering foreign market by technology sales 35.4% Entering new business 18.6%
Co-operating in business with foreign buyers 10.0% Shortening R&D period 17.7%
Accompanying the exports of parts, equipments,
5.2% Avoiding development difficulty 10.9%
and raw materials
Accompanying plant exports 3.3% Decreasing development cost 9.0%
Decreasing management cost 1.9% Averting R&D risk 7.5%
Others 0.6% Others 1.3%
2.1.5. R&D activities

Many OECD governments, particularly in Europe, are struggling to get their firms to
spend more on R&D and look at Korean levels of business enterprise expenditure on
R&D (BERD) with some envy. However, while there is international consensus that
firms should be the source of most R&D spending, there are concerns in Korea that the
levels are too high and that market downturns could result in immediate and drastic falls
in the support for R&D (in fact, this happened during the Asian financial crisis in the late
1990s, when firms cut their R&D budgets, sometimes sharply). This risk is perhaps
greater in Korea because of the concentration of BERD in a handful of large firms. As
Figure 2.5 shows, the top five firms in terms of R&D expenditure in 2006 accounted for
more than 40% of Korean BERD, a figure that has remained largely unchanged over the
last decade. A single firm, Samsung Electronics, accounts for more than half of this
expenditure. The top ten firms accounted for 47.3% of expenditure and the top 20 for
53.5%, a marked decrease in share over the last decade.
Figure 2.6 shows the concentration in number of researchers, with the top five firms
accounting for around 30% of the total, a slight increase over the last decade, while the
top ten account for 34.3% and the top 20 for 38.3%, a decrease in share over the last
decade. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these figures largely mirror those for R&D expenditure,
although expenditures are about a third higher than would be expected given the numbers
of researchers. This suggests that the top-spending firms invest more resources per
researcher than smaller investors.

Figure 2.5. Concentration of BERD, 1999-2006

Percentage
65
60
55
50
Top 5
45 Top 10
Top 20
40
35
30
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure 2.6. Concentration of company researchers, 1999-2006

Percentage
45
40
35
Top 5
Top 10
30
Top 20
25
20
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
In recent years, large Korean firms have devoted a greater proportion of their income
to R&D expenditure. As Figure 2.7 shows, the most recent years have seen large
increases, and in 2006 the top five companies had an R&D expenditure-to-sales ratio of
6.84, up from 5.64 in 2004. Similar scale increases are also evident in the top ten and top
20 firms. However, as this is not the case for Korean firms as a whole, it highlights a
growing divergence between the largest firms, which increasingly operate at techno-
logical frontiers, and the remainder of Korean industry, much of which remains largely
engaged in imitative catch-up.

Figure 2.7. Recent trends in the ratio of R&D expenditure to sales in top companies, 2004-06
Percentage
5
Top 5
4 Top 10
3 Top 20
Total
2
0
2004 2005 2006
Overall, large firms accounted for 76% of R&D expenditure in 2006 (Table 2.8), but
somewhat less than their 88% in 1997 on the eve of the Asian financial crisis. Korea is
not an exception in this respect, as the concentration of R&D in large firms is even
stronger in some other advanced and bigger countries, such as the United States, Japan
and Germany. The main difference is the extreme concentration of private R&D spending
in a small number of large firms, which suggests that the chaebol continue to control the
key assets and capabilities of Koreas innovation system, so that science and technology
decisions are overwhelmingly shaped by their strategies. While the government has had
some success in supporting the development of SME capabilities, as well as in improving
competitive conditions for innovative start-ups (see Chapter 3, section 3.6), the continuing
dominance of large firms in this area risks perpetuating Koreas dualistic industrial
structure (Ernst, 2000).
Table 2.8. R&D expenditure by firm size, 2001-06

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

8 736 966 9 337 066 11 084 236 13 464 089 14 642 880 16 021 718
Large firms
(71%) (72%) (76%) (79%) (79%) (76%)
3 536 613 3 638 287 3 425 427 3 555 721 3 921 363 5 105 062
SMEs
(29%) (28%) (24%) (21%) (21%) (24%)
Total 12 273 579 12 975 354 14 509 663 17 019 811 18 564 243 21 126 780

Not only has private-sector R&D expenditure soared in recent years, its nature has
changed as well. As Figure 2.8 shows, the share of basic research has almost doubled,
from 6.5% in 1998 to around 12% since 2004. The proportion of experimental
development has remained static over the same period, while the share of applied
research has declined, accounting for just over 15% of private sector R&D expenditure in
2006. The shift may have two main drivers. First, private-sector R&D is heavily
concentrated in high-technology manufacturing industries, particularly in the information
and communication technology (ICT) and automotive sectors. The large firms in these
industries are increasingly working at the technological frontier in many product areas
and have had to invest in more fundamental research to support their leadership positions.
Second, at the other end of the scale, SMEs and venture companies have also
contributed to increases in basic research expenditures. Though starting from a low base,
their basic research expenditures increased by more than 60% in 2006 compared to the
previous year (Table 2.9). The overall result is that the private sector now accounts for the
largest volume of basic research in Korea, spending around 50% more than the public
sector (Figure 2.9). Given that private-sector investments in basic research are highly
sensitive to industrial shocks and business cycles, Koreas commitment to basic research
is perhaps more fragile than in the leading economies in which the public sector tends to
conduct a larger share of such research.
Figure 2.8. Percentage of firms total R&D expenditure on basic and applied research, 1998-2006
25
20
15
Basic
10 Applied
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Table 2.9. Expenditure on basic research by sector of performance, 2005-06

2005 2006 Increase/decrease Growth rate (%)

Section
Total Basic Total Basic Total Basic Total Basic
Public research
31 929 6 845 34 971 7 167 3 042 322 9.5 4.7
institutes
Universities 23 983 8 338 27 219 9 092 3 236 754 13.5 9.0
Companies 185 642 21 885 211 268 25 173 25 625 3 288 13.8 15.0
Large 146 429 20 026 160 217 22 182 13 788 2 156 9.4 10.8
Small and
19 911 1 055 25 031 1 705 5 120 650 25.7 61.6
medium-sized
Venture 19 302 804 26 019 1 287 6 717 483 34.8 60.1
Total 241 554 37 068 273 457 41 433 31 903 4 364 13.2 11.8
Figure 2.9. Share of total basic research performed by public and private sector actors, 2006
Traditional SMEs Venture firms

4% 3%
Government
research
institutes
17%
Universities
22%
Large firms
54%
Figure 2.10 shows that business R&D expenditure in Korea is heavily focused upon
high-technology industries. The distribution of R&D expenditures among industries
reflects the strong overall concentration on certain products and technological fields.
Thus, the electronic parts industry plays a dominant role, followed by the automobile
industry and the audio/video/communication equipment industry. By contrast, other
R&D-intensive industries, such as pharmaceuticals or instruments, are weak (Figure 2.11).

The concentration of R&D in a few sectors contributes to the dualism of the Korean
economy and may not provide a broad enough base to promote the convergence to the
income levels of the most advanced OECD countries (OECD, 2005a).
Figure 2.10. Share of business R&D in the manufacturing sector by technological intensity, 2004
High-technology Medium-high technology Medium-low- and low-technology
%
100
80
60
40
20
Source: OECD, ANBERD database, June 2007.
Figure 2.11. Composition of Korean BERD by industry, 2004
Non-
manufacturing
12%
Other Electronic parts

manufacturing 35%
26%
Automobiles
Audio / video / 15%
communication
equipment
12%
Source: Hemmert (2007), The Korean Innovation System: From Industrial Catch-Up to Technological Leadership?, in J. Mahlich and
W. Pascha (eds.), Innovation and Technology in Korea: Challenges of a Newly Advanced Economy, Springer, Heidelberg.

KOITA (2000) and STEPI (2005) have examined some of the bottlenecks facing
Korean firms in the performance of R&D. As Table 2.10 shows, the KOITA survey
results are coloured by the situation after the 1997 economic crisis, with unavailability of
finance, poor linkages (both inside and outside the firm) and the challenges of
restructuring looming large among responses. By contrast, the bottlenecks identified in
the more recent STEPI survey have seen a shift that reflects the constraints and risks
associated with increasing leadership positions in R&D. The top constraint identified was
excellent R&D personnel, while the risks associated with leading-edge R&D and
innovation, including failure, imitation, competition and regulation, were all highlighted.
This is quite a change in the space of a few years, but also a good indication of the real
progress many firms have achieved.
Table 2.10. Bottlenecks to innovation by firms, ranked by significance
KOITA survey (2000) STEPI survey (2005)

1. Financing R&D expenditure 1. Excellent R&D personnel
2. Failure to commercialise R&D results 2. High R&D risk
3. Unexpected transfer of key R&D personnel 3. Large R&D expenditure
4. Inefficient co-operation with other departments within a firm 4. Easy imitation by competitors
5. Poor external network system (with universities) 5. Deficient technological information
6. Heavy burden of restructuring 6. Financing R&D expenditure internally
7. Depressed atmosphere due to restructuring 7. Severe competition
8. Little interest of chief executive officer in R&D 8. Deficient business service
9. Others 9. Institutional regulation
Source: KOITA (2000), Industrial Technology White Book, Korea Industrial Technology Association, Seoul, and STEPI (2005), Report on
the Korean Innovation Survey 2005: Manufacturing Sector, Science and Technology Policy Institute, Seoul.
Finally, a significant part of Korean BERD is spent via large private R&D institutes
operating relatively independently of their parent companies, e.g. LG-Elite, an LG Group
R&D institute, and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), which
employ thousands of scientists and engineers. Other large corporations with significant
internal R&D centres in their prime business units include KT Corp., SK Group, Hyundai
Motors and Hynix. There are concerns in the literature about continuing reliance on the
central corporate lab model, which in many countries has tended to be replaced or at least
integrated within a network model able to access highly advanced technology from many
sources around the world (Hobday et al., 2004). Ernst (2000) suggests that a bias for
centralised R&D organisations also reinforces the weak domestic linkages among the
different actors involved in the process of technology generation and diffusion. This is
said to apply particularly to linkages between large manufacturing companies and their
component suppliers. It is beyond the remit of this review to explore the organisation of
Korean corporate R&D and its relative pros and cons, but it is clear that the leading
chaebol are increasing their international technology networking in countries such as the
United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan and China (see Box 2.6).

Box 2.6. Overseas R&D centres of the leading chaebol, 2005

The Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA) reports that Korean firms had set up around
60 overseas R&D centres by 2005. Three Korean global corporations have been particularly prominent in
setting up overseas R&D centres from the mid-1990s onwards:
1. Samsung Electronics operates ten overseas R&D centres around the world in addition to 40 or so in
Korea. The first overseas centre was set up in the United Kingdom in 1991, with subsequent centres
established in Russia (1993), Israel (1997), Japan (1997) and the United States (1997). More recently,
Samsung has opened three R&D centres in China.
2. LG Electronics has opened an even larger number of overseas R&D centres that deal with aesthetic
design, collect technical information, develop software and develop specific technologies. The geo-
graphical distribution of LGs R&D centres mainly focuses on China (four centres), the United States
(three centres), and Japan (two centres). These outposts monitor technological change at the frontier,
seek opportunities to develop strategic alliances with foreign firms, and develop state-of-the-art products
through advanced R&D.
3. Finally, Hyundai Motors has also built an overseas network of R&D centres to tap into advanced
technology and design. Of its five centres, three are located in the United States.
2.1.6. Firms patenting behaviour

Figure 2.12 shows the innovative performance of Korean firms measured in terms of
domestic patent applications. On the whole, the number of patents applied for by the
private sector has increased rapidly over the last 15 years, mostly on account of the
activities of large firms. However, the pattern has changed since the 1997 Asian financial
crisis. First, the relationship between total domestic patent applications and private-sector
patent applications has weakened because the share of patents applied for by other actors,
such as GRIs and universities, has increased. Second, the number of patents applied for
by SMEs increased markedly in 2000 when thousands of new venture firms were
established (see section 2.3). SME patenting has continued to grow steadily to reach
20 597 patent applications in 2005.
Figure 2.12. Domestic patent applications by firm size, 1990-2005
Source: KIPO (2006), Patent Trends in Korea 2006, Korea Industrial Property Office, Seoul.

Similarly, the number of Korean patents granted by the US Patent & Trademark
Office (USPTO) has increased rapidly (Figure 2.13). Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics,
Hynix Semiconductor, LG Philips LCD, and Hyundai Motors have led the growth in US
patenting, but the international patenting of Korean SMEs remains weak.
Figure 2.13. Korean patents granted by the USPTO, 1990-2005
In terms of patenting behaviour by Korean industry over the 15 years to 2005, the
leaders have been computer and communication and the electronics and electrical
industries (Figure 2.14). By contrast, the medicine and healthcare and the chemicals
industries patent relatively little. The machinery industry has a higher than average share
of patents, but the annual growth rate in patenting activity is below average. Finally, other
sectors, including textiles, construction, consumer products, food and beverages, printing,
agricultural products, lighting products, and paper, while they account for a smaller than
average share of patents, nevertheless all recorded above average annual growth. The
lighting products, construction and printing industries led the growth.
Figure 2.15 plots the RPA (revealed patent advantage) index against the average
annual growth rate of patent applications. As expected, the results mirror those of
industrial sectors, with electrical, semiconductor, electronics, communication and computer
technologies recording high performances in both RPA and annual growth rates. However,
transport and packaging technologies recorded the strongest performance. Chemicals,
medicine and biotechnology all recorded below average RPA indices and annual growth
rates.

Figure 2.14. Patents by industry, 1990-2005
Figure 2.15. Patents by technology, 1990-2005

2.1.7. Exploitation of emerging technologies

As the BERD data seem to suggest, Korean firms are now working at the frontier in
several technological areas which include emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology
and biotechnology. For example, Koreas large electronics and automobile corporations
are active in the development and practical application of nanotechnology products.
Many have established nanotechnology research centres and in some cases have already
brought products to the market. Samsung developed the worlds first 38 colour CNT-
FED (carbon nanotube field emission display) prototype and has commercialised it, while
Iljin Nano Tech has begun mass-producing carbon nanotubes (Wieczorek, 2007). Table 2.11
presents Koreas major successful nanotechnology companies.
Table 2.11 Koreas major successful nanotechnology companies
Type of development Items Developer Major features
CNT-FED Iljin Nanotech Next generation display architecture

Creation of architecture Samsung Electronics & Hynix
NAND flash memory More applicable than DRAM
Semiconductor
Core process equipment for nano-scale
ALD equipment Jusung Engineering Co.
Parts and equipment semiconductors
OLED panel Samsung SDI Upgraded mobile display parts
Nano SilverStar Corporation Diverse uses for consumer products

New materials
Silicon Resin Powder Nano Tech Nano-size minute particles
Source: Lee and Suh (2006), The Characteristics of Technological Innovation in the Nanotechnology-based Industrial Goods Producers,
Science and Technology Policy Institute, Seoul.
Korean firms are also beginning to take leading positions in biotechnology. It is

estimated that there are more than 600 biotechnology companies in Korea of which some
170 R&D companies and 430 sales companies. Of these, 61% work in biopharmaceuticals
and the rest in areas such as bio-foods, bio-chemicals, bio-environments, bio-energy and
resources, bio-process and bio-equipment, and bio-electronics and bioinformatics.1 Table
2.12 lists some major successful biotechnology companies, including those listed on the
KOSDAQ (Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) stock exchange. They can
be grouped into three types according to their R&D and innovation activities: i) large
firms, such as LG Life Sciences and CJ, which perform all innovation-related activities
themselves, including R&D, production and marketing; ii) pharmaceutical companies,
such as Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co., Chong Kun Dang Pharm. and Samyang Genex
Corporation, which specialise in specific fields; and iii) SMEs or venture firms, such as
Bioneer and Viromed, which have expanded their businesses through the development of
new technologies. Many of these firms are accredited by the Korean Biotech Venture
Association (KOBIOVEN), which helps build networks and capacity.

Table 2.12 Koreas major successful biotechnology companies
Applied fields Technologies Companies
Development of new LG Life Science, CJ, Dong-A Pharmaceutical, Chong Kun Dang Pharm., Crystal
medicines Genomics Incorporation, C-TRI
Medicine and therapy
Cell therapy Cellontech, Binex Co., CreaGene
Gene therapy Viromed, Welgene Inc.
Agriculture GMO, food flavouring Nexgen, Easy Bio System
Environment Microorganisms Inbionet, Dae Sung Microbiological Labs. Co.
Analysis and culture Bioneer, Dae Han Biolink Co., KoBio Tech
Equipment and
information
Generic technologies Proteogen, Genexel, Bioneer, Istech
Source: Cho et al. (2005), Next Generation Technology Innovation Method for Fostering Koreas Future Strategic Industries, STEPI, Seoul.
2.2. SMEs and new technology-based firms
As discussed in the previous section, Koreas catch-up model has been dominated by the chaebol
and has largely neglected SMEs. Indeed, the chaebol-dominated industrial structure which created
economies of scale and scope and opportunities for substantial cross-subsidisation proved ill-equipped to
foster a dynamic SME sector that could provide key components and critical complementary support
services to the chaebol (Ernst, 2000). Taking the electronics industry as an example, this situation differs
markedly from that found in Chinese Taipei and Japan, where innovative SMEs have played an active
role in industrial upgrading (see Box 2.7).
Box 2.7. The role of SMEs in Korea and Chinese Taipei

The pervasive role that the chaebol have played as engines of growth and industrial transformation sets Korea
apart from Chinese Taipei, where SMEs have been the main sources of industrial development. In Korea, most
SMEs continue to focus on imitation based on reverse engineering. This has led to relatively inefficient learning
when compared to Chinese Taipei, where SMEs were exposed early to apprentice-like learning arrangements with
large firms, both foreign and domestic. These relationships have significantly strengthened the flexibility of
Chinese Taipeis SMEs, enabling them to shift rapidly from relatively simple to increasingly complex forms of
international sub-contracting.
Source: Ernst (2000), Catching Up and Post-Crisis Industrial Upgrading: Searching for New Sources of Growth in Koreas Electronics
Industry, East-West Center Working Paper, No. 2 March 2000, East-West Center, Honolulu.
There is, however, evidence that the position of Korean SMEs has slowly begun to improve in
recent years. The following considers trends in R&D expenditure and discusses venture firms and their
funding by venture capital. Finally, attention is given to innovation in the services sector, which is
dominated by SMEs.

2.2.1. R&D expenditure in SMEs

As Table 2.13 shows, R&D expenditure by SMEs grew almost fivefold from 1997,
when it amounted to 12% of total firms R&D expenditure, to 2006, when it reached
24%. Furthermore, in 1997, only 24% of researchers worked in SMEs, but by 2006 43%
did so, for a fourfold increase in actual numbers of researchers to almost 75 000. A
further point of interest is the amount of R&D expenditure spent per researcher. With
large firms spending around USD 16 billion on approximately 100 000 researchers in
2006, their expenditure per researcher is almost 2.5 times greater than the amount spent
by SMEs. This can probably be explained, in part, by the expensive facilities built by the
large firms, but the fact that SME salaries are almost half those in the leading chaebol is
undoubtedly a significant explanatory factor.
Table 2.13. Evolution of R&D expenditures and researcher numbers (head count), 1997-2006
R&D expenditure Number of researchers

(KRW billions and as a percentage of sales) (doctoral level)
1997 2000 2003 2006 1997 2000 2003 2006
1 090.2 2 106.4 3 425.4 5 105.1 17 703 36 494 52 332 74 875
SMEs
(2.82) (3.14) (3.57) (2.10) (474) (1 543) (2 291) (6 573)
Large 7 755.1 8 148.2 11 084.2 16 021.7 56 990 57 839 71 698 99 029
firms (2.07) (1.81) (2.05) (2.22) (3 613) (3 878) (5 562) (15 814)
Table 2.14 shows that the recent spectacular growth of R&D activities in Korean SMEs can be
accounted for by growth in both the traditional SME sector and the so-called venture firm sector (see
below). The latter has performed particularly strongly, and now accounts for a higher proportion of
business expenditure on R&D and number of researchers than the traditional SME sector.
Table 2.14. Status of R&D expenditure and number of researchers by company type, 2004-06
KRW millions and head count
2004 2005 2006

Expenditure Researchers Expenditure Researchers Expenditure Researchers
13 464 089 79 910 14 642 880 91 514 16 021 718 99 029
Large corporations
79.1% 59.5% 78.9% 59.3% 75.8% 56.9%
1 890 242 28 683 1 991 126 30 619 2 503 113 36 055
SMEs
11.1% 21.4% 10.7% 19.8% 11.8% 20.7%
1 665 479 25 707 1 930 237 32 173 2 601 949 38 820
Venture businesses
9.8% 19.1% 10.4% 20.9% 12.3% 22.3%
Total 17 019 811 134 300 18 564 243 154 306 21 126 780 173 904

Several factors contribute to this turnaround in the R&D activities of SMEs, some of
which are further explained below. One important change in the wake of the Asian
financial crisis is that the chaebol now play a more supportive role in the development of
a vibrant SME sector. As the chaebol have moved to technological leadership positions,
supplier companies have had to substantially enhance their R&D capabilities in order to
meet increased technological demands. To illustrate this, Table 2.15 shows the dramatic
growth in R&D investment, particularly in the electronics industry, by some of the top
chaebol suppliers. In most cases, these dramatic increases in R&D expenditure coincide
with remarkable increases in financial performance. An example of a Samsung-driven
cluster of SMEs in the mobile telecommunications sector is briefly described in Box 2.8.
Table 2.15. Characteristics of top chaebol suppliers
R&D R&D Growth

Year Turnover 2001 Turnover 2006
Industry Company intensity intensity rate
established (KRW 100 million) (KRW 100 million)
2001 2006 (%)
Electronics MTEK-Vision 1999 19.2 28.9 36 1 186 3 169
Jusung 1995 228.6 21.2 499 1 210 143
Aceteq 1980 12.9 10.9 805 1 032 28
PSK Inc. 1990 11.0 9.1 130 1 289 895
Corelogic 1988 42.1 7.8 13 1 902 14 272
KCTech 1987 9.8 6.4 3 618 9 459 161
Seoul Semi-
1987 6.8 6.3 428 1 838 330
conductors
Homecast 2000 4.6 6.2 164 1 010 517
Humax Digital 1989 3.7 5.8 3 151 6 559 108
Elentec 1982 1.5 4.7 1 105 1 672 51
Inzi-display 1992 4.9 4.7 325 2 089 542
Dongjin 1967 1.4 4.5 1 596 2 266 42
Auto JYSolutec 1984 2.2 7.5 791 1 743 120
Saeronauto 1999 6.3 6.2 494 1 063 115
Samsung
Climate 1954 2.9 4.6 980 1 029 5
Control
DRB 1945 2.9 4.2 1 403 1 703 21
Materials SSCP Corp 1985 6.1 6.6 586 1 587 171

Box 2.8. Gumi mobile cluster

A particular case of the influence of a major chaebol in driving supplier and associated companies is
provided by the rapid development since 2000 of a mobile telecommunication cluster in Gumi (Lee, 2006).
The region has more than 350 mobile companies which produce more than 90% of total mobile sales. The
major force behind the cluster formation was the outsourcing strategy of Samsung Electronics. Technological
and market uncertainties have led Samsung to expand its outsourcing. Its sharp expansion of telecommunica-
tions sales in the global market (a 65.4% increase in the two years from 2002 to 2004) has driven the rapid
expansion of the local agglomeration of mobile companies. Most of the contract suppliers have accumulated
core technologies through their Samsung contracts. However, recognising their vulnerability to sudden
changes at Samsung, they have also sought to develop independent strategies and customers.
Figure 2.16. Number of industrial research institutes by sector, 1998-2006

Machine & metal Electronics Chemical
Foods Textiles Others
8 000
7 000
6 000
5 000
4 000
3 000
2 000
1 000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: KOITA (2007), Status and Problems of Foreign Invested Firms R&D in Korea, Korea
Industrial Technology Association, Seoul.
Figure 2.17. Number of industrial research institutes by firm size, 1998-2006
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
Large
6 000
Small
4 000
2 000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: KOITA (2007), Status and Problems of Foreign Invested Firms R&D in Korea, Korea
Industrial Technology Association, Seoul.

The growth in SMEs share of business expenditure on R&D has naturally led to the
establishment of many more industrial (private-sector) research institutes in recent
years. In the early 1980s, Korea had fewer than 60 such institutes, but as a result of
various government incentives, there were a few thousand by the eve of the Asian
financial crisis. In 1998, there were 800 industrial research institutes in large firms and
almost 3 000 in SMEs. A little under half of the total was from the electronics industry,
and a little over one-fifth from the machine and metals industry. The immediate aftermath
of the Asian financial crisis saw a major upsurge in the establishment of industrial
research institutes, with the number almost doubling from 1999 to 2001 to just over
9 000. The electronics industry was especially active, with the number of research
institutes growing more than threefold over the three years from 1998 to 2001 and
accounting for around two-thirds of the total increase during this period (Figure 2.16).
Virtually all of the increase was accounted for by new research labs set up by SMEs
(Figure 2.17). Incentive schemes, including R&D funding, tax waivers, tariff exemption
for R&D equipment, and military service exemption for researchers fuelled much of the
rapid expansion (see Chapter 3, section 3.6). Over the following few years, growth
stabilised, but picked up again in 2005, and by 2006, Korea had just over 13 000
industrial research institutes (in 2008, they exceeded 15 000, a sign of continuing healthy
growth). The latest surge is more broadly based than the previous one, with all industries
seeing notable increases in the establishment of research labs.
2.2.2. Venture firms

One of the most notable phenomena in the Korean economy in the late 1990s was the
emergence of the venture company. A venture company can be generally defined as an
early-stage innovative SME. However, there is a more specific legal definition for a
Korean venture company, as the government enacted Special Measures on the
Promotion of Venture Companies in 1997 to promote venture start-ups. According to
this law, a venture company is defined as an SME: i) in which a venture capital firm
(VCF) has invested; or ii) which has a relatively large R&D expenditure as a percentage
of sales; or iii) whose business stems from technology, such as a patent.
The growth in the number of venture companies was catalysed by the down-scoping
and down-sizing of the chaebol in the context of the Asian financial crisis and received
further impetus from various government incentives (see Box 2.9 for factors contributing
to the growth of venture companies). Their number increased from a mere 100 on the eve
of the Asian financial crisis to around 5 000 by the end of 1999 (Kim, 2001). During
much of 2000 and 2001, their number increased at a rate of more than 250 a month to
over 11 000 by the end of 2001 (Figure 2.18). However, this growth surge was short-
lived, as the bursting of the Internet bubble in 2001 and the general economic
slowdown in Korea during 2002 led to the closure of many companies. Furthermore, in
2002, the Korean government tightened the qualification rules for venture companies,
which also contributed to their decline in number. The number of venture companies
started to increase again as of 2005 and exceeded 12 000 in 2006.

Figure 2.18. Number of venture companies, 1998-2006
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
0 2 000 4 000 6 000 8 000 10 000 12 000 14 000
Source: SMBA website (www.smba.go.kr/smba/main/english/index.jsp),

accessed November 2007.
Box 2.9. Background for venture companies growth

Five major factors allowed venture companies to flourish in the late 1990s in Korea:
1. Economic restructuring in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 provided the economic
environment in which venture companies could flourish. Economic development since the 1960s had
promoted large companies by concentrating resources into long-term capital-intensive industries.
However, the financial crisis in 1997 witnessed a shift towards SMEs and away from large companies.
2. The shift to a digital economy and rapid growth of ICTs laid the foundation for many venture companies
to start and grow. As the information and communications industry involved the development of many
new technologies, it provided business opportunities for people with technology and ideas and this led to
venture start-ups.
3. The increased funding for venture capital and expansion of the KOSDAQ provided the funds necessary
for venture companies to be established and to grow. Increased funding for venture capital was essential
for venture companies to thrive.
4. The success of venture companies and venture capital put an end to the idea that it is difficult to succeed
only with technology. Early instances of successful venture companies and venture capital sparked a
chain reaction in venture start-ups and venture investment.
5. The governments strong venture promotion policies created a favourable regulatory environment for
venture companies and provided them with support. When promoting its venture policies the government
overhauled and relaxed regulations to create an environment for venture start-ups and their growth (see
Chapter 3, section 3.6).
Source: MoCIE website, accessed November 2007.

By industry, the manufacturing sector accounts for around 70% of venture companies,
the software industry for the second largest share at around 20%, followed by the R&D
service industry with around 4%. Funding is a difficult issue for venture companies, with
more than half the firms recently surveyed by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and
Energy (MoCIE) reporting financial difficulties and only 14% indicating their financial
status to be good. As Table 2.16 shows, a decreasing number of venture companies are
underpinned by venture capital; the vast majority (84%) qualify for venture company
status because they are a business with new technology. Accordingly, most companies
surveyed by MoCIE around 86% have research centres or departments dedicated to
research, and more than half indicated that their technologies are unique or the worlds
most advanced.
Table 2.16. Trends in the status of venture companies, 2002-06
Classification 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Venture capital (rate) 1 124 718 442 330 301
(12.8) (9.3) (5.5) (3.4) (2.8)
R&D business (rate) 1 325 1 483 1 416 1 425 1 421
(15.1) (19.3) (17.8) (14.6) (13.3)
Business with new technology (rate) 6 329 5 501 6 109 7 977 8 974
(72.1) (71.4) (76.7) (82.0) (83.9)
Total 8 778 7 702 7 967 9 732 10 696
Source: SMBA website (www.smba.go.kr/smba/main/english/index.jsp), accessed November 2007.
Table 2.17. Number of spin-offs from university and research institutes as of August 2007
From universities From research institutes

Region No. Region No. Region No. Region No.
Seoul 161 Incheon 9 Seoul 400 Incheon 56
Pusan-Ulsan 35 Kangwon 12 Pusan-Ulsan 54 Kangwon 13
Taegu-Kyongbuk 56 Chungbuk 10 Taegu-Kyongbuk 94 Chungbuk 28
Kwangju-Chonnam 39 Chonbuk 26 Kwangju-Chonnam 61 Chonbuk 16
Taejon-Chungnam 52 Kyongnam 17 Taejon-Chungnam 225 Kyongnam 48
Kyonggi 62 Chju 3 Kyonggi 390 Chju 1
Total 482 Total 1 386
Source: SMBA website (www.smba.go.kr/smba/main/english/index.jsp), accessed November 2007.
Coinciding with the growth of venture companies, there have been determined efforts
to facilitate the formation of spin-off ventures from universities and GRIs, with some
degree of success. As Table 2.17 shows, as of August 2007, 482 ventures had been spun
off from universities and 1 386 from GRIs. A specific example of a spin-off firm from
Seoul National University is provided in Box 2.10.

Box 2.10. SNU Precision Co Ltd: A successful start-up company

SNU Precision Co Ltd was established in 1998, based on expertise in nano-metrology and nano-inspection systems at
Seoul National University. The company's product range encompasses: two-dimensional measurement and inspection
systems, including microscope video systems, gear measuring systems and wafer inspection systems; three-dimensional
measurement and inspection systems, including interscan series, atomic force microscopes and conoscopic hologram
microscopes; fibre-optic inspection systems, including ferrule inspection systems, defect inspection systems and interscan
systems; automatic calibrators, including automatic volumetric error calibrators; and medical vision systems. It has
130 employees, and had sales of KRW 34 billion in 2006. It has developed as follows:
February 1998: Foundation of SNU Precision Co., Ltd., the first venture firm of Seoul National University.
February 2000: Registered as venture company.
July 2000: Established R&D institute.
December 2000: Established a fully owned subsidiary, SNU-YANJI Inc., in China.
March 2001: Developed and exported Ferrule Inspection System to the United States, Chinese Taipei, China.
April 2001: Concluded a contract for the supply of automation facilities to Samsung Corning Micro-optics.
July 2001: Funded by US KTB Network and KDB Capital.
August 2001: Developed and exported 3D surface profiling system (SIS-1000) to the United States and Chinese Taipei.
October 2001: Established a half-owned subsidiary, SNU-USA Inc, in the United States.
January 2002: Selected best venture company in Korea.
June 2002: Successful fundraising from Korean Development Bank.
August 2002: Supplied PS Inspection System to Major LCD manufacturers such as LG Philips, AUO, CMO, Hannstar,
AMTC, Shintek, NEC, DNP, ACTI, SVA, BOE, CPT.
April 2004: World Market Share No.1 (Korea/Chinese Taipei/Japan/China).
January 2005: KOSDAQ listing.
March 2005: Korea IB Grand Prix (Best KOSDAQ Listed Company).
June 2005: Provider of 7G PSIS System to LG Philips-LCD and Samsung Electronics.
2.2.3. SME financing and venture capital

Korean SMEs have had difficulty borrowing from traditional lenders, largely on
account of information asymmetry between lending financial institutions and borrowing
SMEs and a lack of tangible collateral to secure creditors confidence. For this reason the
Korean government has been directly and broadly involved in SMEs financing activities,
e.g. through credit guarantees and policy loans. These are discussed in Chapter 3; the
remainder of this section is devoted to venture capital funding.
With the designation of venture company status, SMEs are eligible for investments
from venture capital firms (VCFs) and limited partnerships funds (LPFs). Generous tax
incentives have been provided to investors in VCFs and LPFs, including 70-100% equity
guarantees on investments in certain venture businesses. On account of these generous
terms, the Korean venture capital market grew dramatically in the wake of the Asian
financial crisis. Starting from a negligible base in the early 1990s, it almost tripled
between 1998 and 2001. The market has since contracted, with just over 600 firms
benefiting from venture capital funding in 2006 for a total investment of around
USD 750 million. This is down from a peak in 2000, when almost 2 000 firms benefited
from more than USD 2 billion (Figures 2.19 and 2.20). At the same time, the number of
VCFs declined, from a peak of 147 in 2001 to 104 in 2006, while the number of venture
capital funds declined to 350 from a peak of 430 in 2003 (see Figures 2.21 and 2.22).

These figures appear discouraging, but must be seen in the context of an unsustainable
bubble in the KOSDAQ, which resulted in a crash in 2001-02. Since then, the venture
capital market has stabilised and in some respects consolidated.
In 2006, the investors in these venture capital funds included government (24.0%),
firms and individuals (22.6%), financial institutions (17.8%), pensions (16.9%), venture
capitalists (14.3%) and others (4.4%). Thus, the major sources of venture capital funds
are still government and firms/individuals. The role of financial institutions and pension
funds remains limited when compared to the situation in Europe and North America. In
2006, almost 40% of venture capital funds were directed to ICTs, by far the biggest
beneficiary. However, investment in this industry is on a clear downward trend, from
almost 60% of total investment in 2001 to 50% in 2003 and to below 40% in 2006. The
entertainment industry was the second biggest beneficiary, followed by the traditional
manufacturing sector and biotechnology (Figure 2.23). As Figure 2.24 shows, a major
portion of venture capital goes to venture firms that are more-than three years old, with
just under a third to early-stage firms (less than three years old). This is comparable to
figures in other parts of the world.
As Figure 2.25 shows, Korean venture capital funds reap their investments mostly
through initial public offerings (IPOs), in stark contrast to the situation in the United
States, where such investments are mostly realised through mergers and acquisitions
(M&A). This is because the total M&A market is relatively small in Korea, amounting to
only 2.9% of market capitalisation in 2005, well below the United States (6.9%), France
(7.4%), Germany (9.4%) and the United Kingdom (9.9%) (OECD, 2007a). The full
development of Koreas venture capital sector has also been disadvantaged by a relatively
undeveloped shareholder culture.
There are two further important concerns related to the venture capital system
(OECD, 2005a):
Potential mismatches in demand and supply for venture capital over the long term.
There is a risk of mismatches in the demand for and supply of venture capital if the
entrepreneurial sector provides insufficient investment opportunities, resulting in
an excess of venture funds chasing too few start-ups. Private equity would then be
concentrated on later-stage investments and traditional industrial sectors, with far
less impact on potential growth. Thus, a key priority is to create an environment
that encourages the supply of investment-ready SMEs.
Need to further privatise the venture capital system. The role of the public sector
as a source of venture capital should be gradually phased out, as in other OECD
countries. Among other measures, this is likely to require regulatory change and
incentives for institutional investors to play a fuller part in venture capital markets.

Figure 2.19. Figure 2.20. Amount invested

Number of invested companies KRW billions
2500 2 500
2 021
2000 1 910
2 000
1500 1 500
1 119
891
1000 1 000
768 757 733
630 635 617 618 631 604
544
500 500
0 0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure 2.21. Figure 2.22.

Number of venture capital companies Number of venture capital funds
160 500
147 145
450 430 424
140 128 412 400
396
117 400
120 350
105 102 104 350 326
100 300
80 250
60 200
150
40
100
20 50
0 0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure 2.23. VC investment by industry, 2006 Figure 2.24. Investment by stage, 2006
Percentages (100% = KRW 733.3 billion) Percentages (100% = KRW 733.3 billion)
Distribution, 4.4 Others, 1.7

Service/education, Over 7 years, 18.9
5.3
Less than 3 years,
Biotechnology, 8.5 30.3
Information
technology, 38.2
Entertainment,
20.4
Manufacturing, 3-7 years, 50.8

21.5
Source: SMBA statistics, cited in Ilshin (2007), Venture Capital in Korea, presentation to the OECD Country Review Unit, October 2007, Seoul.

Figure 2.25. Exit by type in Korea and the United States, 2002-06
Korea United States
M&A IPO M&A IPO
100% 100%
90% 90%
80% 80%
70% 70%
60% 60%
50% 50%
40% 40%
30% 30%
20% 20%
10% 10%
0% 0%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Korean Venture Capital Association, cited in Ilshin (2007). Source: US National Venture Capital Association, cited in Ilshin (2007).
The KOSDAQ was established in 1996 to promote the access of SMEs to equity
funding through easier entry requirements and less stringent operating obligations than
the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE). In the wake of the Asian financial crisis, the KOSDAQ
experienced a boom, followed by the technology market crash that led to a 90% fall in the
stock price index in 2001-02. The market capitalisation of KOSDAQ has since recovered,
as shown in Table 2.18, although the number of IPOs has continued to decline. By 2006,
more than 80% of venture company IPOs were from companies backed by venture
capital, indicating the importance of KOSDAQ for venture capitalists to realise their
investments.
Table 2.18. Trends in the KOSDAQ market, 2001-06
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Number of listed companies1 721 843 879 890 918 963
Total market capitalisation1 (KRW trillions) 51.8 37.4 37.4 31.1 70.9 72.1
Number of IPOs 171 153 71 52 70 56
Number of IPOs of venture companies (A) 134 105 58 37 61 43
Number of IPOs of VC-backed venture companies (B) 73 53 36 28 49 35
B / A (%) 54 50 62 76 80 81
1. As of each year end.
Source: KVCA; Korean Stock Dealers Association, cited in Ilshin (2007).

2.2.4. Innovation in services

By industry, the services sector accounted for around 7% of BERD in 2006, one of
the lowest rates in the OECD area, though not too far from the proportions seen in other
exported-oriented, manufacturing economies, such as Japan, Germany and Sweden.
Around three-quarters of this R&D was performed by the business services industry,
which includes computer and related activities, research and development, and other
business activities (Figure 2.26).
Figure 2.26. BERD performed in service industries

Others
11%
Telecommunications
14%
Computer and
Research and related activities
development 50%
5%
Other business
activities
20%
Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, April 2008.
Box 2.11. Innovation in services

Boosting innovation in service industries is central to improving the performance of the services sector.
The sector has traditionally been seen as less innovative than manufacturing and as playing only a supportive
role in the innovation system. As a result, national innovation policies have paid scant attention to services,
and service firms have not been active participants in government-sponsored innovation programmes. Recent
work confirms, however, that services are more innovative than previously thought; indeed, in some areas,
they are more innovative than the average manufacturing industry. In fact, knowledge-intensive business
services play an increasingly dynamic and pivotal role in the knowledge-based economy.
Innovation surveys suggest that service firms innovate for many of the same reasons as manufacturing
firms: to increase market share, to improve service quality and to expand product or service range. However,
how innovation occurs in the services sector is less well understood. Compared to manufacturing, most
innovations in services appear to be non-technical and result from small, incremental changes in processes and
procedures that do not require much formal R&D. Developing policy to support innovation in the services
sector may therefore require new policies and programmes.
Source: Tamura et al. (2005), Promoting Innovation in Services, in OECD (2005), Enhancing the Performance of the Services Sector,
OECD, Paris.
R&D statistics provide only a partial picture, however, since most innovation in
services appears to be non-technical and to result from small, incremental changes in
processes and procedures that do not require much formal R&D (see Box 2.11).
Innovation surveys are therefore better at capturing the nature of innovation activities and
have been used widely around the world, including in Korea. The results of the most
recent Korean innovation survey of services firms (STEPI, 2006) show that 17% of those
surveyed carried out product or process innovation (PPI) during the 2003-05 period. If

non-technological innovation, i.e. organisational and management innovation, is included

(PPOM product, process, organisational and management), the figure rises to 29%. In
comparison, a similar survey of the manufacturing sector for the period 2002-04 (see
STEPI, 2005) shows that 43% of firms engage in product and process innovation, but the
figure reaches 48% when non-technological innovation is also included. Services
therefore seem to be much less innovative than manufacturing. The gap is unusually wide
by international standards: for instance, innovation survey data for European Union
countries (CIS-4 for 2002-04) show that 37% of EU27 service firms and 42% of
manufacturing firms were innovative.
Figure 2.27. Innovation activities in the Korean services sector by firm size
PPOM PPI
%
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10-29 30-49 50-99 >100
Number of employees
Source: STEPI (2006), Korean R&D Scoreboard, Science and Technology Policy Institute, Seoul.
Figure 2.28. Innovation activities in the Korean services sector by industry
Total
Film and broadcasting
Advertising
Technological services
Management consulting
Research and development
Computer and related activities
Banking and financing
Communication
Transport and storage
Wholesale
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Figure 2.27 shows that the proportion of innovative enterprises increases significantly
with the size of the enterprise, a pattern that is seen in innovation surveys around the
world.2 By industry, as seen in Figure 2.28, computer and related activities and research

and development are most active in technological innovation. The degree of innovation in
traditional service industries such as wholesale, transport and storage; advertising; and
banking and finance are lower than the average of the total services sector. The most
serious barriers to technological innovation are the uncertainty of market demand,
followed closely by lack of funds, excessive cost, and illegal copying of innovations
(STEPI, 2006).
2.3. Government research institutes
By budget expenditure, the GRIs are the largest performers of research in the public
sector, although their leading position is increasingly challenged by universities. They
have played a significant part in the technological upgrading of Korean industry over the
last four decades and have shown themselves in most cases able to adapt to fast-changing
conditions. However, further reform and adaptation of the GRIs is on the political agenda
and necessitates understanding of their current and potential contribution to the Korean
innovation system. This section starts by describing the different public research
organisations operating in Korea, before describing the development of the GRIs and
their funding. Next, the continuing debate over the appropriate role of the GRIs in the
wider innovation system is discussed, as is their attractiveness to prospective employees
in the competitive labour market. Finally, the performance of the GRIs is reviewed, with
reference to measures of academic publications, patent applications, and technology
transfer.
2.3.1. Types of Korean public research organisations

PROs are classified into four categories in Korea, according to their governance and
financing arrangements:
Government-sponsored research institutes (GRIs) these are semi-autonomous
research centres established by the Korean government. There are 100 GRIs in all,
52 of which are associated with the humanities and social sciences. While they
operate with the financial assistance of the government, they are independent, non-
governmental organisations operating under the provisions of the Law for the
Creation and Promotion of the Government Research Institutes (1999). GRI
researchers are therefore not civil servants. The largest GRIs fall directly or
indirectly (through two research councils) under the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technology (MEST) and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy
(MKE). This section focuses on them.
National labs these are fully financed by the central government, which employs
the research staff directly. There are currently 53 national labs, many of which are
operated by the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for the
purpose of developing agricultural, fishery and food technology and technological
capabilities in these areas.
Local government-sponsored research institutes these are autonomous organisa-
tions financially supported by local governments. The majority are involved in
planning and linking local innovation actors to boost technological innovation in
regions, and as such do not do scientific research themselves. There are 38 such
organisations across Korea.

Local government labs these were mostly established several years ago to
support local agriculture and fishing, although in recent years, some have been
established to support manufacturing or to cultivate emerging industries. They are
governed by local governments, and their research staff are local government
officials. Korea has 118 such organisations.
Table 2.19. Distribution of public research organisations in Korea, 2004
Natural science and Agriculture and Humanities and

Types of organisation Total
technology fishery social science
Total number (percentage) 79 (25.6) 131 (42.4) 99 (32.0) 309
Central government-sponsored 46 (46.0) 2 (2.0) 52 (52.0) 100
National labs 7 (13.2) 34 (64.2) 12 (22.6) 53
Local government-sponsored 5 (13.2) 0 (0.0) 33 (86.8) 38
Local government labs 21 (17.8) 95 (80.5) 2 (1.7) 118
Source: Lee and Choi (2004), Strategy to Manage Public R&D Institutes for Building-up Open Regional Innovation systems, Science and
Technology Policy Institute, Seoul.
Table 2.19 provides a summary of the various PROs in Korea. In terms of size and
scope of activities, the GRIs are the most important and these are discussed further in this
section.
2.3.2. Historical development of the GRIs

A short historical account of the development and evolution of the GRIs provides
insight into many of the challenges that these institutions still face today. In the 1960s,
Korea lacked technological capabilities for industrialisation and imports of foreign
technologies were the immediate solution. The more fundamental solution, however, was
the establishment of an industrial R&D institute that would build up endogenous
technological capabilities. Accordingly, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology
(KIST) was founded in 1966 as an integrated technical centre to meet the countrys
industrial needs. At that time, KIST relied on recruiting overseas-trained Korean
scientists and engineers, and its main purpose was to support industry in its efforts to
adopt and adapt foreign technologies. By 1970, the few GRIs that had been established
accounted for 84% of the nations total R&D expenditures and 44% of the nations pool
of researchers, reflecting their dominant role in R&D activities at this time (Kim, 2001).
In the 1970s, a number of specialised research institutes were established to keep pace
with the rise in industrial sophistication and diversity. Each institute aimed to develop
capabilities in strategic areas such as shipbuilding, geo-science, electronics,
telecommunications, energy, machinery, chemicals, etc., in order to serve the growing
needs of the private sector. The GRIs relied upon contract funding from enterprises and
the government and were therefore relatively autonomous. According to Kim (2001), the
capabilities developed by the GRIs strengthened the bargaining power of local
enterprises, helping them to acquire increasingly sophisticated foreign technology and to
develop competing technologies locally. Perhaps most importantly, the GRIs generated
experienced researchers who then migrated to corporate R&D centres. In this sense, the
GRIs spearheaded both technology development and human capital formation (Yim and
Kim, 2005).

However, by the 1980s, Korean firms were criticising the research support being
provided by the GRIs as failing to meet their needs. At the same time, the government
believed that many specialised satellite institutes under related ministries were too
small to achieve economies of scale and that this resulted in overlap and frequent
duplication of research efforts (Yim and Kim, 2005). The government therefore
consolidated 15 GRIs under various ministries into nine large research institutes under
MoST, with the aim of upgrading and strengthening Korean research capability. It was
thought that this restructuring would improve the managerial efficiency of GRIs by
centralising management responsibility under the authority of a single ministry.
The Korean government was also keen for industry to perform a greater share of
R&D so as to develop its own technological capacity. Thus, in addition to consolidating
the number of GRIs, the government initiated national R&D programmes (NRDP) in
1982 to provide funding for the GRIs to collaborate with industry on areas of strategic
research and technological development. This extra funding helped the GRIs to increase
their research activities, but throughout the 1980s and 1990s, their performance continued
to be criticised by government and business alike. Criticisms centred upon apparent
duplication of research domains, poor R&D project management, and perceived low
R&D productivity levels. According to Yim and Kim (2005), these problems can be
attributed to a lack of consensus among the relevant government departments and GRI
managers on the role and missions of GRIs, and to excessive government monitoring and
control. It may also be argued that both business and government had overly high
expectations of the contributions that the GRIs could reasonably make. Nevertheless, to
boost research efficacy and productivity, from 1991 the GRIs were subject to regular
evaluations of their performance, and in 1996 a contractual project-based management
system (PBS) was introduced to replace the lump-sum system then in operation (see
Box 2.12).
Box 2.12. The project-based system (PBS)
In 1996, the government changed its research funding system from a lump-sum system to a project-based
system (PBS) in order to increase research productivity. Before the introduction of PBS, the manpower costs
of GRI researchers were supported from the government budget and GRIs charged only direct research costs
to each project. Under the PBS, GRIs have to charge manpower costs to research projects and must compete
with universities and industries to obtain contract research. On the positive side, the PBS has contributed to
the creation of a competitive R&D funding system for creative researchers and to the diffusion of the
customer relationship and price concept in government R&D. However, the PBS has also received criticism.
First, GRI researchers have been forced to shift their research focus away from basic research projects to
short-term application-oriented projects as they seek more research contracts to cover their manpower costs.
Second, PBS has encouraged greater use of cheaper temporary researchers at GRIs. Research budgets have
been insufficient to cover the costs of permanent and experienced researchers so that the GRIs have had to
rely upon MA or PhD students for much of their research manpower. As of 2002, 50% of GRI researchers
were in irregular employment, including temporarily hired students.
Source: Yim and Kim (2005), The Evolutionary Responses of Korean Government Research Institutes in a Changing National Innovation
System, Science, Technology and Society, Vol. 10, No. 1.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the number of GRIs continued to grow and there was
further reorganisation through mergers and break-ups. Nevertheless, GRIs began to lose
their once-dominant role, with industry quickly becoming the largest R&D funder and
performer by the mid-1980s and with the universities also gradually catching up over
time. Several analysts have explored some of the reasons for this relative decline. For
instance, according to Linsu Kim (2001), because the GRIs were under the bureaucratic

control of the government, the environment creative individuals need to flourish had been
stifled and they were less dynamic than their counterparts in corporate labs. He also
pointed to the difficulties facing GRIs for retaining competent researchers, as many
moved either to academic institutions for prestige and freedom or to corporate R&D
laboratories for better economic conditions (see section 2.5).
In 1998-99, Linsu Kim headed a committee to draw up proposals for the most
fundamental reform of the GRIs in almost two decades. The committee proposed
separating the GRIs from their host ministries (several ministries besides MoST had again
acquired their own research institutes after the move to consolidate GRIs in the early
1980s) and placing them under five newly established research councils located in the
Office of the Prime Minister. The intention was to improve their performance by giving
them greater autonomy from ministerial interference in a sense, to separate bureaucratic
and research cultures. The suggested reform was carried out, but only in part, as the
research councils had no budgets of their own to distribute to the GRIs and the latter were
therefore still dependent upon the ministries for their funding.
The system underwent further change in 2004, when the then new government moved
the three science and technology-based research councils from the Office of the Prime
Minister to MoST. This move was part of a broader set of measures to strengthen a
revamped MoST (see Chapter 3, section 3.3) and saw the biggest GRIs come under
MoSTs jurisdiction.
2.3.3. Funding of GRIs

The proportion of government support in total R&D expenditure differs by type of
research field, research institute and historical dependency. Roughly speaking, around
half of the GRIs budget comes from a government core grant (Table 2.20), while the
other half comes from contract research for various organisations, including a range of
central government ministries (the main purchasers of research) and local governments,
plus private companies. Reflecting the governments emphasis upon funding more
fundamental research, it is perhaps unsurprising to see that the GRIs under the
supervision of the Korea Research Council of Fundamental Science & Technology
(KRCF) enjoyed the largest budget increases overall in 2007 (up 16% on 2006).
However, overall, the GRIs have benefited from the smallest increases in R&D spending
over the last decade or so, with universities and firms accounting for an ever-increasing
share of Korean R&D.

Table 2.20. Government core grant to GRIs under the three1 S&T research councils
KRW millions
Growth rate
Name of councils and their member institutes 2006 2007
(%)
Korea Research Council of Fundamental Science & Technology(KRCF) 8 229 13 761 67.2
Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 84 134 85 908 2.1
Korea research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) 45 458 50 832 11.8
Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) 35 417 39 647 11.9
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) 16 323 18 357 12.5
Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM) 12 875 17 316 34.5
National Fusion Research Centre (NFRC) 11 114 20 371 83.3
National Institute for Mathematical Sciences (NIMS) 1 000 2 105 110.5
Korea University of Science & Technology (UST) 2 059 2 949 43.2
Subtotal 216 606 251 246 16.0
Korea Research Council of Industrial Science & Technology (KOCI) 10 509 10 478 - 0.3
Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) 59 363 56 147 - 5.4
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) 20 204 21 246 5.2
Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) 15 354 16 654 8.5
Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) 39 830 45 780 14.9
Korea Electro-technology Research Institute (KERI) 32 657 35 124 7.6
Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) 35 152 39 463 12.3
National Security Research Institute (NSRI) 31 788 35 182 10.7
Korea Institute of Toxicology (KITOX) 13 341 26 342 97.5
Subtotal 258 198 284 416 10.9
Korea Research Council of Public Science & Technology (KORP) 11 245 11 334 0.8
Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KISTI) 55 038 63 843 16.0
Korea Institute of Construction Technology (KICT) 24 609 23 622 - 4.0
Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) 16 238 20 053 23.5
Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) 53 748 56 030 4.2
Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI) 39 929 47 119 18.0
Korea Institute of Geo-science and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) 35 557 39 056 9.8
Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) 25 769 26 791 4.0
Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) 31 092 38 779 24.7
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) 52 567 58 340 11.0
Subtotal 345 792 384 967 11.6
1. In mid-2008, the number of research councils was reduced from three to two.
Source: MoST (2007), Science and Technology Yearbook 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.

2.3.4. What role for the GRIs?

In spite of the reforms of recent decades, the role the GRIs should play in the Korean
innovation system is still widely discussed. There remains a sense that they are not as
effective and efficient as they could be. Indeed, according to the opening lines of the page
devoted to GRIs on the MoST/MEST website,3 there have been grave concerns
regarding research effectiveness and operational efficiency of the GRIs R&D activities.
It is clear that for many, these concerns remain, but whether they are justified or not is
open to question. The main problem stretching back perhaps 30 years has been a lack
of consensus on the role that the GRIs should play in the innovation system. Korea is
hardly alone in this uncertainty, as the role of PROs has been called into question across
the OECD area in recent decades (see Box 2.13). Yet, PROs remain extremely important
players in national research systems, and especially in Korea where university research
still remains relatively weak. Because they have been poorly studied, PROs have often
been victims of stereotypes and of policy fashions (Lardo, 2008), and Korean GRIs are
no exception in this regard (Lee, Kong-Rae, 2007). In fact, PROs vary widely, with
different types of organisations facing different issues that require different policy
responses. This observation also applies to Korean GRIs, and more attention should be
paid to this sort of differentiation.
Box 2.13. Public research organisations under pressure

Changes in government missions over the past several decades have necessitated adjustments in the
structure, organisation and roles of non-university public research organisations. The role of PROs has already
diminished relative to universities in terms of R&D performance, in part because of reductions in the defence
budgets of many larger OECD members and further restructuring of national science systems in response to
changing priorities for mission-oriented research. Several OECD members have undertaken reforms of their
PROs, but this restructuring is far from complete in most countries. Questions remain regarding the
organisational and institutional changes that are needed to improve their ability to respond flexibly to evolving
societal objectives over the long term and the respective roles of government laboratories and universities in
the public research system.
While government laboratories have made numerous contributions to industrial innovation and economic
growth, econometric analysis suggests that the effects of publicly funded R&D on productivity growth are
larger in countries that devote more of their public research budget to universities than to government labs
(Guellec and van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, 2001). This reflects the fact that in some countries the very
nature of the R&D missions entrusted to government labs limits the generation of economic spillovers, but
additional structural impediments also appear to be in place. Although their size and research portfolios are
diverse, public labs in a number of countries face common problems relating to ageing staff, blurred missions
and relative isolation from the mainstream of knowledge exchange and the education system. Government
labs do not generally participate in training students who can transfer knowledge to industry, and the
disciplinary nature of many labs can impede their attempts to conduct research in emerging interdisciplinary
areas. They may nevertheless play a critical role in providing government ministries with impartial, long-term,
in-depth and interdisciplinary expertise which is important to their mission and which cannot be suitably
obtained from the university system (Senker, 2000).
Source: OECD (2003), Governance of Public Research; Toward Better Practices, OECD, Paris.
Thus, in the context of a rapidly evolving innovation system and industrys

development of its own R&D capabilities, the purpose of the GRIs is not as clear-cut as it
once was. At the same time, the Korean government has begun to favour the strengthening
of R&D capabilities in universities, which are considered the natural sites of skills
development and knowledge transfer. Pressures to reform the GRIs have resulted in a
succession of changes in their governance systems, creating a near-permanent sense of

uncertainty and even crisis in many institutes. This has served to undermine the stability
required for conducting long-term fundamental research, something that governments
have often failed to take into account (Lee, Kong-Rae, 2007). To their credit, policy makers
in MoST/MEST have recently tried to be sensitive to this danger and have consequently not
sought to introduce radical new reforms that might further lower morale.
Clearly, the GRIs are in a difficult position. They were the main recipients of public
R&D funding when universities conducted relatively little R&D. However, as the R&D
capabilities of universities and firms have increased, some convergence has begun, with
all actors conducting similar sorts of research (see section 2.6). Accordingly, many in
industry argue that the GRIs should now focus primarily on fundamental research
whereas many university researchers argue that the GRIs should return to their original
purpose of supporting technology adoption and adaptation by Korean firms (but rather
than the chaebol, the GRIs should assist SMEs which typically lack the capabilities or
resources to conduct their own research). Whether the GRIs face such a stark choice is an
open question, and there are few reasons to believe that they should focus on just one type
of activity at the expense of others. Moreover, as highlighted above, the GRIs are not
identical and each institute has its own history and accumulated competencies. Sensitivity
to these is required in any future reforms.
Nevertheless, the GRIs would appear to be squeezed between two constituencies with
a strong sense of their identity. Before exploring the positioning issue further, however, it
is worth reviewing the direction in types of research performed by the GRIs. As
Table 2.21 shows, the trend has been away from basic research (down from 26.7% of the
total in 1998 to just 20.5% in 2006) towards more experimental development (up from
38.0% in 1998 to 43.7% in 2006), while the proportion of applied research has remained
largely unchanged at around 35%. Closer examination of the data shows that most of this
shift occurred in the first few years after the Asian financial crisis and that the current
picture stabilised in 2003 (in fact, the current proportion of basic research stabilised in
2001). These figures seem to suggest that the GRIs are positioning themselves primarily
to develop new technologies. But there are questions concerning whether the GRIs are
best placed to bring these technologies to the market; it is widely believed that this is best
done by the private sector.
Table 2.21. R&D expenditure by research stage in research institutes

Total R&D expenditure Basic research Applied research Experimental development

1998 2 099 470 561 521 26.7 741 199 35.3 796 750 38.0
1999 1 979 174 494 138 25.0 756 409 38.2 728 627 36.8
2000 2 031 981 454 443 22.4 672 213 33.1 905 325 44.6
2001 2 160 166 438 260 20.3 894 403 41.4 827 503 38.3
2002 2 552 632 526 182 20.6 1 015 664 39.8 1 010 786 39.6
2003 2 626 356 525 515 20.0 972 984 37.0 1 127 856 42.9
2004 2 964 646 616 140 20.8 1 151 992 38.9 1 196 514 40.4
2005 3 192 887 684 540 21.4 1 158 356 36.3 1 349 991 42.3
2006 3 497 050 716 725 20.5 1 252 430 35.8 1 527 896 43.7

Another issue to take into account is the fact that the GRIs conduct much of the big
science carried out by the public sector and universities cannot match their facilities.
This is not an unusual situation in many countries and international experience suggests
that PROs often carry out fundamental research that would be impossible to conduct in
universities (see Box 2.14 for an example from Germany). However, if the GRIs are to
conduct more fundamental research, it is likely that the current project-based system will
need to be revised. Originally introduced to improve the efficiency and performance of
GRIs, the PBS has improved R&D management and performance through the use of
competitive tendering. However, there have also been some less desirable effects:
First, PBS has been detrimental to the stability needed to foster more fundamental
research (since many projects are more mission-oriented and relatively short-
term).4
Second, it has encouraged GRIs to apply for a wide spectrum of projects as they
compete for funding. The loss of focus has contributed in part to the identity crisis
in many GRIs.
Finally, it has seen a vast expansion in the use of temporary contract labour (for
example, at the Korean Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology
[KRIBB], special service interns outnumbered regular employees by almost 2:1 in
2006). Although the use of temporary contracts gives the GRIs some flexibility, it
also makes them less attractive destinations for researchers (see below).
Box 2.14. Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences (MPG)
The MPG is an example of good practice for the funding of basic research outside the higher education
sector. Its research institutes carry out basic research in all fields of science. The MPG focuses on new and
promising research that universities have difficulty accommodating, either owing to the fact that the
interdisciplinary character of such research does not fit into universities organisational framework or because
the costs for personnel and facilities are beyond the universities resources. Other research is performed in
joint projects between the Max Planck Society and universities. Such co-operation will be intensified in the
future. In terms of funding, 95% comes from the public sector and only 5% from other sources (members
contributions, donations, own income). Public money comes without any strings attached. The Society is
completely autonomous in choosing its research priorities, managing its staff, etc.
Source: OECD (2003a), Governance of Public Research: Toward Better Practices, OECD, Paris.
Although some research collaboration occurs already (see Box 2.15), there is no
doubt that there is much greater scope for such co-operation between GRIs and
universities. This is hampered by the mutual distrust of the two sectors: the universities
view themselves as more academically valid and the GRIs see themselves as the public
sectors main source of research with the necessary experience, competencies, equipment
and relevance. This distrust and lack of understanding and respect creates problems for
developing closer and mutually beneficial linkages.

Box 2.15. The KIST-academia collaborative education programme

KIST has set up graduate collaboration programmes with nine Korean universities in which students
complete a basic curriculum at the university in which they are enrolled and then participate in a KIST
research project. While they are working on KIST research, students write the thesis required for their degree,
and KIST and university faculty members act as co-advisors. Collaboration is seen as beneficial for all:
students gain a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge that should stand them in good stead in
future employment in industry and KIST can employ the graduates directly after they complete their studies.
More indirectly, it is claimed that students act as conduits for the transfer and distribution of KISTs research
products to industry.
Source: KIST (2007), Korea Institute of Science and Technology brochure.
In a further twist to the trend towards convergence between research performers, the
GRIs have also got together to found a university the University of Science and
Technology (UST) which focuses upon hands-on multidisciplinary training, a missing
gap in much Korean higher education (see Box 2.16).
Box 2.16. The University of Science and Technology

Inaugurated in 2004, the University of Science and Technology (UST) operates as a graduate school
affiliated with 22 GRIs and specialises in the training of research students in interdisciplinary R&D fields (in
contrast to most national and private universities, which have a strong disciplinary academic culture). The
UST aims to exploit the synergy effects of conducting education and research together and seeks to capitalise
on the facilities, equipment, manpower and experience available in the GRIs. Students learn through participa-
tion in research projects in GRIs, with minimal lecture-based education.
The GRIs cover all major fields and the USTs interdisciplinary approach allows it to offer a
differentiated curriculum that meets the growing need for training and education in multidisciplinary fusion
technologies. This differentiation is achieved in part through a system of lab rotation, whereby students
participate in projects of other research institutes and private corporations in addition to their advisors
research projects and gain experience in various research environments. It is also mandatory for students to
study a selection of general courses, covering topics such as technology management, research management
and planning, venture business studies, and technical writing. Taken together, the training and hands-on
practical experience that students gain meet the needs of research and industry and reduce the need for re-
education.
Current annual admissions rates are rising though still modest, with 115 admissions divided among
masters and doctoral programmes in 2007. However, the government has significantly increased USTs
budget since its inauguration and there are plans to continue the universitys expansion.
Source: UST website (www.ust.ac.kr/eng), accessed February 2008.
2.3.5. Employment conditions

A common complaint among GRI researchers is their relatively poor employment
conditions. Although they tend to be paid more than their counterparts in universities,
they have been forced to retire at 61 (the retirement age in universities is 65) without a
pension. Because of this and the lack of institutional stability, many GRI researchers tend
to seek alternative appointments in universities and the private sector before they reach
their mid-40s.
In the last three or four years, however, the GRIs have enjoyed a modicum of stability
as they have focused their attention on a set of core research areas (for example, through
the Top Brand Project initiative, in which GRIs identify a small number of fields in which
they aim to achieve leadership positions in the short to medium term). The PBS continues

to be improved and it has recently been announced that GRIs will in future benefit from
more core funding, with as much as 70% of staff costs being met in this way by 2012 as
compared to 40% or so in 2007. The tenure system is also being expanded, and the
number of researchers earning in excess of USD 100 000 a year was expected to exceed
1 000 in 2007. Finally, the new government has also announced that it intends to set aside
KRW 200 billion by 2013 to cover the pensions of GRI researchers.5 In parallel to these
developments in the GRIs, the universities are becoming less comfortable places to work,
as professors are increasingly expected to meet performance targets and in some
institutions (e.g. KAIST) to teach in English. Therefore, some convergence in working
conditions between GRIs and universities appears likely, which could make the GRIs
once again relatively attractive places in which to work.
2.3.6. GRI performance

Under the research councils, the GRIs have recently improved their performance in
terms of publications and patent applications (Lee, Chul-Won, 2007). For example, SCI
publications per researcher increased from 0.407 in 2003 to 0.465 in 2004 and to 0.489 in
2005, a significant rise in a short space of time. As Figure 2.29 shows, these numbers are
higher than those of the Fraunhofer Societys institutes in Germany (although the latter
undertake more applied research and may be less active in academic publishing than
institutes engaged in more fundamental research), though considerably lower than those
of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in the United States and the
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan. The
results are similar when using SCI publications per KRW 100 million spent.
Figure 2.29. SCI publications by GRIs (2003-05) and international benchmarks
Source: Lee, Chul-Won (2007), Challenges and Issues to Upgrade Government-Sponsored Research Institutes in Science
and Technology in Korea, paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Korean Society for Innovation Management
and Economics, 20-21 July, Jeju Island.

In terms of patent applications, the performance of the GRIs appears to exceed that of
PROs in developed countries. As shown in Figure 2.30, patent applications per researcher
increased from 0.6754 in 2003 to 0.765 in 2005, figures that are much higher than those
of the Fraunhofer institutes, the LBNL or AIST (as the LBNL undertakes largely
fundamental research, its relatively low performance on this measure is not unexpected).
A comparison based on patent applications per KRW 100 million shows a similar trend.
Furthermore, GRIs made 3 158 patent applications in 2006 (Table 2.22), more than US
GRIs (1 790) and Canadian government research institutes including universities (1 307).
Figure 2.30. Patent applications of GRIs (2003-05) and international benchmarks
Source: Lee, Chul-Won (2007), Challenges and Issues to Upgrade Government-Sponsored Research Institutes in Science
and Technology in Korea, paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Korean Society for Innovation Management
and Economics, 20-21 July, Jeju Island.
Applying for patents is one thing, but transferring technologies and possibly earning
royalty income is quite another and is often a better measure of performance. In terms of
technology transfer rates, Table 2.22 shows that Korea underperforms the United States
and Canada but seems to do better than Japan. Around 30% of Korean GRI patents were
transferred in 2006, compared to 37.5% in US PROs. The figures for Canada are probably
even better, but because they have been combined with university figures, this cannot be
demonstrated with certainty. More positively, the GRIs performed considerably better
than Korean universities, which saw only 13.6% of their technologies transferred.
Overall, these figures indicate that Korean PROs have more difficulty commercialising
their R&D than their counterparts in North America.
Royalty income figures provide one indicator of the quality of technology transfer.
As Table 2.22 shows, Korea again underperforms the United States and Canada (figures
for Japan are not available). While Korean GRIs earned USD 53.3 million from
951 technology transfers, US PROs were able to earn USD 346 million from just
671 transfers. The picture is even worse for Korean universities, which earned a meagre
USD 3.2 million from 629 technology transfers compared to more than USD 1 billion
earned by US universities from around 4 000 transfers. These figures indicate that the
values of technologies transferred from Korean PROs are lower than those of their North
American counterparts.

Table 2.22. International comparison of technology transfer among public sector research performers, 2006
Korea United States Japan Canada

Performance indicators (Univ. (Univ.
Univ. GRIs Total Univ. GRIs Total
+ GRIs) + GRIs)
Number of technologies patented (2006) 4 616 3 158 7 774 15 002 1 790 16 792 8 725 1 307
Number of technology transfers 629 951 1 580 4 087 671 4 758 1 171 544
Ratio of technology transfers (%) 13.6 30.1 20.3 27.2 37.5 28.3 13.4 41.6
Yearly royalty income (USD millions) 3.2 53.3 56.5 1 088 346 1 435 n/a 43.3
Yearly R&D expenditure (USD millions) 2 200 2 964 5 164 37 162 4 082 41 244 47 200 3 127
Number of employees per commercialisation unit 4.8 3.6 4.2 8.65 6.1 8.2 14.3 8.3
Source: Lee, Chul-Won (2007), Challenges and Issues to Upgrade Government-Sponsored Research Institutes in Science and Technology
in Korea, paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Korean Society for Innovation Management and Economics, 20-21 July, Jeju
Island.
Figure 2.31 shows that the Korean situation is gradually improving, however, with
royalty income per GRI researcher climbing from around KRW 8 million in 2003 to
around KRW 10 million in 2005. The royalty ratio as a percentage of R&D expenditure
has shown a similar trend over the same period. This performance is comparable to that
of the LBNL in the United States (although as Figure 2.30 shows, the latter patents far
less than Korean GRIs) and far exceeds the performance of AIST in Japan. But the GRIs
have some way to go to catch up with the German Fraunhofer institutes, which earn the
equivalent of almost 20% of their total R&D expenditure in royalty income (on the basis
of a fraction of the patent applications made by Korean institutes).
Figure 2.31. Royalty income of GRIs
Source: Lee, Chul-Won (2007), Challenges and Issues to Upgrade Government-

Sponsored Research Institutes in Science and Technology in Korea, paper presented at
the Annual Conference of the Korean Society for Innovation Management and
Economics, 20-21 July, Jeju Island.

To summarise, Korean GRIs have improved their performance in recent years, in

terms both of number of publications and returns from commercialisation of their R&D
efforts. However, given the level of patenting activity, they should be doing much better.
There are several possible explanations for the relatively weak performance indicated by
technology transfer rates and royalty income levels:
First, technology markets are less developed in Korea than in North America,
owing to their relatively weak institutionalisation. However, the effects are
unlikely to be large enough to account for the significant differences in
commercialisation of their technologies.
Second, compared to North America, there is relatively weak interest on the part of
local firms in adopting new technologies from GRIs, particularly among SMEs
(see section 2.2). Even among larger firms, there appears to be a growing
preference to conduct research in house and to reduce reliance on the GRIs for fear
of knowledge leakage.
A third explanation may lie in the GRIs and universities themselves, as they may
be insufficiently geared to offer their R&D for exploitation. However, the Korean
government has placed much emphasis on the commercialisation of R&D and the
channels for transferring public research results are various, such as technology
transfer agreements, direct creation of venture firms, technical consulting, training
of engineers and technicians, and so on. Because of the income-generating
opportunities and in order to promote technology transfer, most GRIs have set up
commercialisation units, although these remain comparatively small. As
Table 2.22 indicates they employ on average 3.6 persons, fewer than Korean
universities (4.8) and considerably fewer than in Japan, Canada and the United
States. This is perhaps surprising given the relatively large size of the patent stock
held by the GRIs, but it may be because many of the patents are in fact of little
commercial interest to Korean firms.
Finally, it seems certain that Korean GRIs and universities are patenting
excessively, as evidenced by the very rapid rise of Korea in the patent rankings
over the last decade (see Chapter 1, section 1.4). The government has set very
ambitious performance targets for the public sector research base, many of which
are quantitative in nature. These include publication and patenting targets. As
researchers have struggled to meet these targets, they have tended to patent
discoveries that might not otherwise have been patented (because of the low
likelihood of commercial exploitation). As a result, Korean institutes hold a large
body of patents, many of which are unlikely ever to be exploited.
This final point is significant for two reasons: first, failing to acknowledge that this
sort of behaviour is happening risks misdiagnosing the problem to be tackled by policy
interventions. Some improvements in R&D commercialisation can certainly be achieved
through measures such as better technology market institutionalisation and enhancement
of the GRIs commercialisation units, but the main issue is the fact that much of the
intellectual property held by institutions is in fact unsuitable for commercial exploitation.
This situation can be changed only by modifying the way research is carried out
(e.g. through greater collaboration with research users) and/or altering the patenting
behaviour of researchers so that they patent more in line with realistic expectations of
commercialisation.

The second reason concerns the use of quantitative indicators to measure the
performance of the GRIs. Performance indicators invariably change the behaviour of
those who are to be held accountable sometimes in ways intended by policy makers
(e.g. researchers pay more attention to the commercial potential of their research), but
often in unintended ways as well (e.g. researchers over-patent). The problem with many
performance indicators is that they tend to focus only upon those things that are directly
measurable quantitatively and miss many (often more essential) intangible effects. In this
sense, performance indicators tend to be blunt instruments of control, which, if not used
appropriately, can adversely distort the behaviour of those who are accountable and can
have undesirable effects on the system being monitored. Such distortions can be
minimised by a good understanding of the system being monitored and wide agreement
on an appropriate set of performance indicators which are sufficiently sensitive to the
various nuances inherent to the system. As Box 2.17 would seem to suggest, however,
this agreement does not yet seem to exist in Korea.
Box 2.17. ETRI and measuring intellectual capital

The following text is taken from the foreword of a report published by ETRI on measuring intellectual
capital and illustrates well the pressures facing Korean PROs in demonstrating their effectiveness:
From time to time government-supported organisations in Korea have been criticised both internally and
externally, as it is not easy to identify performance for all long-term investments. Therefore it has almost
become a liability for such organisations to acknowledge their performance in various sectors and demonstrate
how they are planning future core competencies.
In 21st century knowledge and information societies, peoples abilities and attitudes are paramount; the
power of the system and the quality of relationships people build will ultimately become a source of future
success. Absorbing these trends to measure and manage intellectual capital helps us not only to identify
knowledge as a new growth engine in Korean society, but also to lay stepping stones to transform local
workplaces into knowledge creation institutions.
At this moment in time the most influential forces for social change and development are individuals and
organisations with knowledge and information generating capabilities. This recent and persisting trend is
rooted in the fact that the paradigm has radically shifted to an information or knowledge-based society.
Despite this major transformation, the value of research institutes as centres of knowledge creation in our
society is still being evaluated from the perspectives of the Industrial Age.
What is it that interferes with the transformation of perspectives? In my view, there is no consensus on
research performance evaluation criteria. Until recently, tangible outputs such as publications, patents,
royalties and so on have been accorded prime significance. Unfortunately, it has not been acknowledged that
R&D produces other types of value, viz. the enhanced capability of researchers, knowledge accumulation and
learning from experience, knowledge diffusion to related industries, and reputation building, to name just a
few.
To overcome these shortcomings, since 2004 ETRI has been conducting research focused on modelling
intellectual capital, which is composed of human capital, structural capital, and relational capital. ETRIs IC
report is the first fruit cultivated from these efforts. Within the organisation the intention of publishing ETRIs
IC Report is to acknowledge the true means for long-term competitiveness. Externally, we would like to
inform more people that the real value of research institutes lies in the sum of intangible intellectual capital
rather than tangible assets. Finally, we sincerely hope that our efforts will facilitate government initiatives to
ascertain where national core competencies and social welfare come from. Hopefully, the new perspective,
ignited from our efforts, will lead to concrete policies with an emphasis on intellectual capital.
Source: ETRI (2005), Intellectual Capital Report 2004, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Daejeon.

Box 2.18. Goals of the various higher education institutions

Two-year colleges: to educate students about specialised knowledge and skills to foster talents able to fulfil
specialised positions in society.
Technical colleges: to teach the necessary skills and knowledge to students so they may contribute to various
industries, to provide opportunities for higher learning to students, and to foster talent in industrial sectors so
that the country and society can benefit.
Colleges of education: to foster knowledgeable teachers for primary education.
Open universities: to give the public opportunities for higher education through various media, further open
education, and thus contribute to lifelong learning.
Technical universities: to form a workforce with specialised knowledge and applicable skills by providing the
opportunity to continually learn and practise specialised vocational knowledge and theories in the workplace.
Source: KEDI (2006), background report in support of the OECD Review of Tertiary Education.
2.4. Higher education institutions
There are many types of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Korea, including
universities, two-year colleges, and specialised institutions such as industrial colleges,
education colleges and technical colleges (see Box 2.18). There are also HEIs under the
jurisdiction of provincial governments or government agencies other than the MEST
(KEDI, 2006). In all, 212 universities currently run four-year undergraduate courses, of
which 41 are national, 2 public and 169 private. Between them, they operate 147 graduate
schools which are associated with research activities.
In addition, two-year colleges are active in training technicians and also carry out
some research. They account for about 40% of students in tertiary education. As in many
other countries, these institutions exist to prepare middle-level manpower and technicians.
The fields of study include a range of occupations in engineering, health including
nursing, business and law, and education. Compared to the universities, a larger fraction
of colleges and college enrolments are in private institutions, which are more reliant on
tuition fees and less on government funding. They also do not receive government
funding for research, as some universities do (Grubb et al., 2006).
It is important to understand the contributions that HEIs make to innovation. All too
often, policy attention is too focused upon the production of codified knowledge through
research and its subsequent diffusion and exploitation through various third-stream
activities and industry-academic linkages. However, the innovation studies literature
makes clear that the most significant contribution of HEIs to innovation lies in the
creation of embodied capabilities through teaching and research training activities.
Accordingly, the remainder of this section considers the role of Korean HEIs in providing
tertiary education, in conducting research, and in commercialising the results of research.
2.4.1. Education activities

The expansion of tertiary education in Korea over the past two decades has been
incredibly rapid and astonishingly impressive in many ways (Grubb et al., 2006). More
than any other country, Korea has ensured that virtually all students complete secondary
education and has moved toward universal tertiary education, with more than 80% of
young people attending universities or junior colleges, by far the largest proportion in the
OECD area. A socio-cultural eagerness for education in Korea, rooted in long-standing

Confucian educational values, has contributed to this great demand for tertiary education.
Figure 2.32 shows that since 1980, there has been an almost five-fold increase in the
number of students enrolled at universities. This growth is mirrored by increased
enrolments in junior colleges over a similar period (see Figure 2.33), although the last
five years or so have seen numbers steadily decrease (enrolments peaked in 2001).

Accordingly, over the last decade, the number of universities in Korea has continued
to increase. Most universities, with a few notable exceptions (e.g. KAIST and
POSTECH), are comprehensive, providing teaching in a broad range of sciences, social
sciences, the humanities and professional subjects such as engineering and business. This
has led to criticisms that many universities look alike, that regional universities fail to
take advantage of regional differences, and that the university system as a whole provides
relatively little choice to students. In fact, by far the main distinguishing factor among the
universities is their well-known ranking, with virtually all Koreans agreeing on the top
ten universities in the country. However, in a recent international review of Korean
tertiary education (Grubb et al., 2006), the reviewers were not convinced that the highest-
status universities are necessarily of the highest quality. The problem is the ranking
approach itself, which is crude by international standards and is even unofficial in Korea.
A better system would acknowledge the differences between universities and apply
different ranking systems that highlight performance relating to a variety of university
functions. Moreover, a better assessment approach would be centred on individual
departments rather than applied crudely to entire universities. This is because departments
within universities typically vary in their quality. Without departmental assessment, there
is no systematic way for students to learn about such variation.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this situation has some damaging side effects. To begin with,
efforts to build strong departments in lower-ranked universities are less likely to be
rewarded with an increase in high-calibre student applications, simply on account of the
universitys overall perceived status. At the same time, departments that may not be the
best in their field can nevertheless attract the best students because of their location in a
high-status university. Furthermore, because the vast majority of high-status universities
tend to be in and around the metropolitan Seoul area, provincial colleges and universities
which constitute over 60% of HEIs in Korea have great difficulty in attracting
students, and their graduates find it more difficult to secure employment (KEDI, 2006).6
This contributes to imbalanced growth. But perhaps the most damaging side effect of the
current ranking of universities concerns its impact on secondary education and the
sacrifices made by both parents and students to try to gain access to high-status institu-
tions. This important issue is explored in some detail in section 2.6.
In contrast to the universities, the number of junior colleges has remained relatively
stable since the mid-1990s. As Figure 2.33 shows, the number of enrolments continues to
decline, and it is expected that some junior colleges will have to merge to survive (this
has already started to happen, though still on a modest scale). Lower birth rates are partly
responsible for this, and many universities are certain to face similar pressures in the near
future. However, the pressure on junior colleges has been further exacerbated by an
increasing tendency for universities to offer a broader range of courses, including those
that were previously offered exclusively by junior colleges. As there is a near-universal
preference for universities over junior colleges on account of their perceived higher
status the junior colleges are losing students to universities in their traditional markets.
This is in some ways ironic, since the junior colleges have shown a greater tendency to
innovate in their teaching than universities. In many (though not all) universities, teaching
is dominated by a Confucian tradition of information transfer from master to student, with
learning largely limited to lectures. By contrast, many junior colleges employ a variety of
teaching methods, including team-teaching, project-based learning and workshops,
providing students with the skills to question and criticise that employers want in a
modern economy. Here again, status is not necessarily the same as quality (Grubb et al.,
2006).

It is not only the prevailing teaching methods that are under fire when it comes to
questions of quality. The massification of tertiary education over the last two decades
has also led to a substantial increase in the student-teacher ratio both in universities
(Figure 2.34) and in junior colleges (Figure 2.35), as HEI expenditures and staff numbers
have failed to keep up with increased student enrolments. For instance, from 1980 to
2006 period, the student-teacher ratio rose from 29:1 to 68:1 in colleges and from 27:1 to
36:1 in universities, compared to an OECD average of 17:1. A sharp increase in the
student-teacher ratio of universities coincides with the Asian financial crisis of the late
1990s, when many staff were laid off. The worsening student-teacher ratio is often seen
as a sign of falling standards in Korean HEIs, as larger classes are often equated with a
reduction in the quality of teaching. However, in a system dominated by information
transfer and lecture, it probably makes little difference whether there are 30 students in a
class or 300. Only when teaching shifts to other forms of pedagogy does the student-
teacher ratio matter (Grubb et al., 2006), so this may be more of an issue for the junior
colleges than for the universities.
With the increase in competition for jobs among an ever-growing number of
graduates, many young people seek postgraduate qualifications to obtain a competitive
edge. Many Koreans travel abroad for such qualifications particularly to the United
States (see section 2.6) but the home market for postgraduate degrees has also grown
spectacularly over the last two decades, with an eight-fold increase since 1980
(Figure 2.36). Currently, around 15% of enrolments are for PhD degrees, and the rest for
masters degrees. As Figure 2.37 shows, the increase in the number of postgraduate
degree enrolments has been matched by similar growth in the number of graduate
schools, with more than 1 000 operating in 2006. However, this is not all good news. As a
recent international review of Korean tertiary education noted, more than half of HEI-
directed research funding goes to the top 20 universities (see Table 2.23), but large
numbers of postgraduate students in Korea are trained in second-tier universities where
the faculty is not engaged extensively in research, meaning that the close connection
between research and education is broken. In effect, non-research institutions are
preparing the next generation of researchers, and this is surely not the optimal form of
training (Grubb et al., 2006). The authors suggest that one solution would be to limit
PhD training to institutions, or departments within institutions, with demonstrated
research strengths.
2.4.2. Research activities

Table 2.23 lists the top 20 research universities in Korea in terms of research income.
National universities dominate, along with KAIST, POSTECH and GIST, which were
specifically established to focus on graduate schools in science and technology.

Table 2.23. Twenty largest universities by R&D expenditure in Korea, 2005

Rank University Amount (USD million) Share (%)
1 Seoul National University 219.97 12.2
2 KAIST 84.85 4.7
3 POSTECH 69.80 3.9
4 Yonsei University 66.94 3.7
5 Hanyang University 52.92 2.9
6 Korea University 51.13 2.8
7 Kyungpook National University 44.24 2.5
8 Pusan National University 39.37 2.2
9 Sungkyunkwan University 37.68 2.1
10 Chonnam National University 34.67 1.9
11 Chonbuk National University 30.30 1.7
12 Inha University 27.46 1.5
13 Chungnam National University 24.43 1.4
14 Chungbuk National University 23.47 1.3
15 GIST 23.22 1.3
16 Gyeongsang National University 21.84 1.2
17 Kyunghee University 21.56 1.2
18 Ajou University 20.31 1.1
19 Konkuk University 19.43 1.1
20 Ewha Womens University 18.84 1.0
Other universities 871.73 48.3
Total 1 750.98 100.0
Source: NSTC (2006), Survey and Analysis Report on 2006 National R&D Projects, National Science and Technology Council, Seoul.
Around 65 000 researchers were employed by universities in 2005 (Table 2.24). They
represent just over one-quarter of all researchers employed in Korea and about four times
more than in the GRIs, despite the latters higher research expenditures. In fact,
universities employ around 70% of all PhDs in Korea, yet account for only around 10%
of Korean spending on research. This is partly because many PhDs in universities choose
not to undertake research. In addition, the R&D facilities of most universities are less
well equipped and their research teams are less well organised than the GRIs. As
Table 2.24 shows, R&D expenditure per university researcher is about one-quarter that of
researchers in GRIs. The government has recently recognised that mobilising the pool of
latent research capacity in universities will be essential if Korea is to achieve
technological parity with the leading economies (see Chapter 3). However, given that
research capabilities depend upon gradual knowledge accumulation through active
research, the historical under-investment in university researchers is likely to hinder their
skills development over time and may slow government efforts to strengthen the overall
performance of university research in the future.

Table 2.24. Allocation of researchers and R&D expenditures among sectors of performance, 2005
Universities GRIs Industries Total
Researchers 64 895 15 501 154 306 234 702

(Head count) (27.6%) (6.6%) (65.7%) (100%)
Researchers holding PhDs 40 229 7 452 10 261 57 942

(Head count) (69.4%) (12.9%) (17.7%) (100%)
R&D expenditure 23 983 31 929 185 642 241 554

(KRW 100 million) (9.9%) (13.2%) (76.9%) (100%)
Government-financed R&D expenditure 18 244 29 167 8 637 56 048

(KRW 100 million) (32.6%) (52.0%) (15.4%) (100%)
R&D expenditure per researcher

36 956 154 718 120 308 102 920
(KRW 1 000)
Source: MOST and KISTEP (2006), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and
As Table 2.25 shows, the proportion of experimental development performed in

universities has increased markedly at the expense of a relative decline in basic research.
The pattern is similar to that in the GRIs and is symptomatic of a growing convergence in
the types of research performed by Korean research actors (though the figures have
stabilised over the last few years). Despite this apparent shift, the number of papers in
SCI publications by Korean universities increased from 3 765 in 1998 to 7 281 in 2005.
The SCI impact factor of university lecturers and new researchers in science and
technology fields also increased from 1.9 in 1999 to 2.43 in 2005 (KRF BK21-Nuri
Committee, 2007).
Table 2.25. R&D expenditure by research stage in universities and colleges, 1998-2006
Total R&D expenditure Basic research Applied research Experimental development

1998 1 265 074 507 261 40.1 427 539 33.8 330 274 26.1
1999 1 431 421 491 402 34.3 479 440 33.5 460 579 32.2
2000 1 561 865 661 562 42.4 475 685 30.5 424 618 27.2
2001 1 676 777 679 826 40.5 498 455 29.7 498 496 29.7
2002 1 797 096 666 130 37.1 596 213 33.2 534 753 29.8
2003 1 932 663 695 638 36.0 634 122 32.8 602 903 31.2
2004 2 200 886 736 761 33.5 760 983 34.6 703 142 31.9
2005 2 398 284 833 799 34.8 825 172 34.4 739 313 30.8
2006 2 721 874 909 221 33.4 876 798 32.2 935 855 34.4
Source: MOST and KISTEP (2007), Report on the Survey of Research and Development in Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and

2.4.3. Commercialisation activities

In terms of research and innovation, many current policy frameworks see HEIs
(especially universities) as places where new scientific and technological principles are
discovered. The issue then becomes how well these discoveries are transformed into
innovations. This kind of focus leads to an emphasis on the problem of commercialisation
for HEIs and on a policy focus on intellectual property rights, patenting and technology
transfer from HEIs. Against this backdrop, Korean universities have shown an increase in
their patenting activities over recent years. Table 2.26 shows an almost tenfold increase
for the period 1997-2005 in the total number of patent applications by the ten universities
that lead in patenting, as well as a diversification in the types of universities making them
(ten years ago, applications were mostly confined to the technical universities of KAIST
and POSTECH, but this is no longer the case).
Table 2.26. Patent applications of leading patenting universities in Korea, 1997-2005
University 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Total
KAIST 110 158 186 189 182 175 195 245 300 1 740
POSTECH 46 51 67 82 102 116 102 111 106 783
Seoul National University 6 13 16 24 22 53 152 210 278 774
GIST 13 37 40 83 62 47 73 75 74 504
Inha University 11 16 24 28 33 40 79 80 127 438
Korea University 0 2 27 31 31 27 59 80 180 437
Hanyang University 0 0 0 2 26 51 96 81 162 418
Yonsei University 0 1 1 9 16 26 79 82 126 340
Sungkyunkwan University 0 1 0 3 33 34 48 62 131 312
Kyungpook National Univ. 1 0 0 1 6 10 21 48 73 160
Total top 10 187 279 361 452 513 579 904 1 074 1 557 5 906
Along with the increase in patenting activities, many Korean universities, encouraged
by the government, have established technology licensing offices (TLOs). There were
25 TLOs in Korean universities in 2003 and 69 in 2005 (KRF, 2006). Though the number
of TLOs has continuously increased, 78% employs fewer than five people and so may be
playing a limited role in transferring the R&D results of universities. The average royalty
income of university TLOs from technology transfers jumped from KRW 15.1 million in
2003 to KRW 24.1 million in 2004 and to KRW 47.9 million in 2005. Although the
amounts are relatively small, they nevertheless show a marked increase over a short
period of time.

2.5. Human capital
Over the last 50 years, Korea has transformed itself from a backward agricultural
economy into one of the most modern economies in the world. One of the main driving
forces behind this transformation has been a growing population and investment in
human capital. This section first discusses a major crisis set to affect Korea over coming
decades its falling birth rate and ageing society and points to the need to bring more
women into the workforce and to increase lifelong learning opportunities. It then provides
a brief outline of the Korean education system, followed by a more detailed account of
the secondary and tertiary education systems. Within this context, broad patterns in the
supply of and demand for human resources are considered, after which the issues of
lifelong learning, gender imbalances and labour mobility are discussed.
2.5.1. Low fertility rates

Koreas 2005 total fertility rate of 1.08 was the lowest in the OECD (Figure 2.38). In
the long run, such a rate will lead to a decline in the number of workers and will weaken
the economys growth potential. According to the Korea Development Institute, the low
fertility rate will pull down Koreas potential GDP growth rate from 5% currently to 3.6%
by 2020 and 2.3% in 2030. In addition, the low birth rate will trigger fiscal problems such
as the funding of the national pension plan by a much smaller domestic labour pool.
Figure 2.38. Total fertility rates in a selection of OECD countries, 1972-2004

4.50
4.00
France
3.50
Germany
Total fertility rate
3.00
Japan
2.50
Korea
2.00
United Kingdom
1.50 United States
1.00 OECD
Source: OECD (2006), Society at a Glance, OECD, Paris.
A number of economic and social changes have contributed to the declining fertility
rate. Most recently, the 1997 Asian financial crisis left an indelible imprint on employ-
ment. As companies underwent painful restructuring, they jettisoned their tradition of
lifetime employment. Job seekers now face a job market that gives prominence to two-to-
three-year contracts rather than more secure, full-time employment. As a result, young
adults delay marriage and children on account of the fragile labour atmosphere (Choi and
Kim, 2007).

Koreas economically productive population aged 15 to 64 will decrease after peaking

in 2016 at 36.19 million. The percentage of people aged 25 to 49 will decrease from
59.6% in 2005 to 44.4% in 2050 (Figure 2.39). Meanwhile, people over age 50 in the
economically productive population are forecast to surge from 20.5% in 2005 to 40.9% in
2050 (see Table 2.27). This has major implications for increasing levels of employment
particularly of women and for lifelong learning, as workers remain in the workforce for
longer periods.
Figure 2.39. Share of population under 20 or over 64 as a percentage of the population aged 20 to 64
2000 2050 OECD-2000 OECD-2050
100
80
60
40
20
Source: OECD (2006), Society at a Glance, OECD, Paris.
Table 2.27. Outlook for the economically productive population
2000 2007 2010 2020 2030 2050

Total (thousands) 33,702 34,912 35,611 35,506 31,229 22,424
Aged 15 to 24 (%) 22.8 18.9 18.3 15.6 13.1 14.7
Aged 25 to 49 (%) 58.8 59.2 56.7 50.9 49.5 44.4
Aged 50 to 64 (%) 18.4 22.0 25.0 33.5 37.4 40.9
Note: The shares are the shares of the economically productive population.
Source: National Statistical Office, Outlooks on Future Population, November 2006, cited in Choi and Kim (2007), Koreas Plunging Birth
Rate: Causes and Policy Suggestions, Issue Paper 01/07, Samsung Economic Research Institute, Seoul.
2.5.2. The Korean education system

Korea has a single-track 6:3:3:4 system which provides six years of compulsory
primary education, three years of middle school and three years of high school, followed
by two or four years at college or university. Attendance at primary and middle school is
compulsory. Universal education was achieved at the primary level by 1970 and at the
lower secondary school level by 1985. The rate of advancement from high school to

university now exceeds 80%. Pre-school education has also been expanded in the past
few years, and almost 40% of children attend nursery school (OECD, 2005a).
This expansion has been achieved with a relatively low level of public expenditure on
education: at 4.4% of GDP in 2004, somewhat below the OECD average of 5.0%
(Table 2.28). This level of public expenditure is not without consequences: Korea has the
least favourable ratio of teachers to students at primary and secondary level in the OECD
area and hence the largest classes. Furthermore, to make up for the shortfall in public
spending, private spending on education is one of the highest in the OECD area. This has
equity implications, with those who can afford private tuition more likely to secure a
place in a top-ranked university. This is discussed further below.
Table 2.28. Expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP, by source of funds and
level of education, 2004
Primary, secondary and

post-secondary non-tertiary Tertiary education Total all levels of education
education
Public1 Private2 Total Public1 Private2 Total Public1 Private2 Total
Denmark 4.2 0.1 4.3 1.8 0.1 1.8 6.9 0.3 7.2
Finland 3.9 n 3.9 1.7 0.1 1.8 6.0 0.1 6.1
France 3.9 0.2 4.1 1.2 0.2 1.3 5.7 0.4 6.1
Germany 2.8 0.6 3.5 1.0 0.1 1.1 4.3 0.9 5.2
Japan 2.7 0.3 2.9 0.5 0.8 1.3 3.5 1.2 4.8
Korea 3.5 0.9 4.4 0.5 1.8 2.3 4.4 2.8 7.2
Sweden 4.5 n 4.5 1.6 0.2 1.8 6.5 0.2 6.7
United Kingdom 3.8 0.6 4.4 0.8 0.3 1.1 5.0 1.0 5.9
United States 3.7 0.4 4.1 1.0 1.9 2.9 5.1 2.3 7.4
Israel 4.4 0.3 4.7 1.1 0.9 1.9 6.6 1.8 8.3
OECD average 3.6 0.3 3.8 1.0 0.4 1.4 5.0 0.7 5.7
1. Including public subsidies to households attributable for educational institutions, as well as including direct expenditure on educational
institutions from international sources.
2. Net of public subsidies attributable for educational institutions.
Source: OECD (2007), Education at a Glance, OECD, Paris.

2.5.3. Secondary education

The OECDs Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) examines,
through tests and surveys of 15-year-olds, how well individual national education systems
are doing in equipping their young people with essential skills. The latest round of PISA,
carried out in 2006, shows Korean performance to be generally outstanding. Korea
appears close to the top of the rankings in reading and mathematics, and ranks high on the
science scale as well (OECD, 2007e).
Unlike many traditional assessments of student performance in science, PISA is not
limited to measuring students mastery of specific science content. Instead, it measures
the capacity of students to identify scientific issues, explain phenomena scientifically and
use scientific evidence as they encounter, interpret, solve and make decisions in life
situations involving science and technology. This is important, since if students learn
merely to memorise and reproduce scientific knowledge and skills, they risk being
prepared mainly for jobs that are disappearing from labour markets in many countries.
For todays global economy, students need to be able to solve problems for which there
are no clear rule-based solutions and also to communicate complex scientific ideas clearly
and persuasively (OECD, 2007e).
Table 2.29 shows how Korea compares to some of the leading economies along these
dimensions. First, Korea has one of the highest mean science scores, but performs
comparatively less well than in reading and mathematics, where it regularly tops the
PISA rankings. Considering Korean students competency levels, they excel in using
scientific evidence but perform less well in explaining phenomena scientifically. Only
one other country, France, shows a similar pattern, which has been attributed to a
curriculum that emphasises scientific reasoning as well as the analysis of data and
experiments. The situation would seem to be similar in Korea, where particular emphasis
is placed on analysing tables, graphs and experimental results (OECD, 2007e).
PISA also looks at student performance scores on questions that indicate students
science competencies at one of six proficiency levels. While basic competencies are
generally considered important for the absorption of new technology, high-level
competencies are critical for the creation of new technology and innovation. For countries
near the technology frontier, this implies that the share of highly educated workers in the
labour force is an important determinant of economic growth and social development.
There is also mounting evidence that individuals with high-level skills generate relatively
large externalities in terms of knowledge creation and utilisation, compared to an
average individual (OECD, 2007e). On average across OECD countries, 1.3% of 15-
year-olds reached Level 6 of the PISA 2006 science scale, the highest level. These
students consistently identify, explain and apply scientific knowledge, and knowledge
about science, in a variety of complex life situations. A total of 9% were proficient at
least to Level 5, showing that they had a well-developed capacity for scientific enquiry
and were able to combine knowledge and insight appropriately in scientific tasks. Despite
overall good performance, just 1.1% of Korean students fall into the Level 6 proficiency
category, a little under the OECD average. However, 9.2% of Korean students achieved
Level 5 proficiency, compared to an OECD average of 7.7%.

Table 2.29. PISA science scale performance for a selection of countries
Performance difference between the combined science scale and each scale
Competency Content
Identifying Explaining Using Knowledge Earth Living Physical
Science
scientific phenomena scientific about and systems systems
score
issues scientifically evidence science space
Canada 534 -2.6 -3.6 7.1 2.8 5.8 -4.0 -5.5
Finland 563 -8.4 2.8 4.1 -5.6 -9.0 10.5 -3.6
France 495 3.9 -14.1 15.8 12.2 -32.6 -5.3 -13.0
Germany 516 -5.9 3.4 -0.3 -3.9 -5.4 8.2 0.5
Japan 531 -9.3 -4.1 13.0 0.2 -1.1 -5.2 -1.0
Korea 522 -3.1 -10.5 16.3 4.4 10.8 -23.9 7.6
United Kingdom 515 -1.0 1.9 -1.2 1.8 -10.2 10.6 -6.4
United States 489 3.2 -2.8 -0.4 3.3 15.1 -2.1 -3.7
Hong Kong, China 542 -14.4 7.0 0.2 -0.6 -17.1 15.4 3.3
Macao, China 511 -20.8 9.2 0.7 -5.9 -4.9 14.2 6.7
Russian Federation 479 -16.6 3.8 1.4 -4.5 2.0 10.5 -0.2
Chinese Taipei 532 -23.8 12.7 -0.6 -7.0 -3.2 16.9 13.0
Note: The science performance scales have been constructed such that the average student score in OECD countries is 500 points.
Source: OECD (2007), PISA 2006: Science Competencies for Tomorrows World, OECD, Paris.
In terms of content, Korean students perform well in knowledge about science. As for
knowledge of science, Table 2.29 shows the results for three content areas: Physical
systems, Living systems, and Earth and space systems. Here, Korea shows larger
differences in performance between content areas than any other country participating in
PISA, scoring very highly in Earth and space systems and Physical systems, but
coming out at just below the OECD average in Living systems. It is interesting to note
that this disparity reflects a similar general bias in the strengths and weaknesses of
Korean S&T (see Chapter 3, section 3.4).
In spite of the overall impressive PISA performance, there is widespread public
discontent in Korea regarding the education system. The high and rising reliance on
private tutoring in the primary and secondary levels is widely regarded as a social disease
that imposes a number of costs. It has its roots in the fierce competition for prestigious
university places. The value of an education at an elite university puts pressure on
students to get high scores on the university entrance exam, the College Scholastic
Aptitude Test (CSAT), and parents who can afford it feel duty-bound to maximise their
childrens chances through extensive private tuition. It has been estimated that expendi-
ture on this extra schooling accounts for some 5% of all consumer spending by private
households (OECD, 2005a). It goes without saying that the high proportion of private
financing of education undermines equity goals, since the children of wealthier parents
start out with better prospects.

But the burden does not fall on household expenditures alone. The high school
curriculum is tailored to prepare for the CSAT (see Box 2.19); it relies heavily on rote
learning and leaves little room for the creative thinking and exploratory spirit which are
essential for S&T education. The result is that while Koreas total spending on education
is one of the highest in the OECD area because of the very high private spending on
education as a share of GDP much of this investment is inefficient and wasteful.
Reform of the university entrance system would therefore seem to be a key starting point
for improving the quality of secondary education.
Box 2.19. The College Scholastic Aptitude Test

The competition to get into the best universities is fierce, and secondary school students typically work
an additional four to six hours a day in tutoring schools (if their parents can afford them) to improve their
score on the university admission test, the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT). With a few notable
exceptions, such as Seoul National University, the CSAT often counts for 70% of the overall selection for
colleges and universities, with the students high school record contributing only 10%. It is therefore not
surprising that the CSAT and tutoring schools are so important more important than high school itself.
Over-reliance on a single, national admissions test, in a status-driven culture, not only places
disproportionate burdens on the lives of young people during their formative years but also distorts the
distribution of talent within the society and across the labour market. Some students end up taking courses for
which they have little interest or aptitude, while others who have the potential to excel in their careers start off
too often, regrettably, with a sense of failure. If instead universities and colleges could control their own
admissions policies, they might develop specialities that would give prospective students more options from
which to choose.
One question, then, is whether changes in tertiary education, such as changes in admissions procedures,
might reduce the pressures on secondary education. If there were more varied ways to gain admission to
universities and colleges, and the influence of the CSAT was reduced to 33% or less, the CSAT would not be
as crucial. Universities might add additional criteria to their admissions procedures, including various kinds of
experience during secondary education, accomplishments other than academic accomplishments, and extra-
curricular activities, so that the CSAT would not be so dominant.
Source: Grubb et al. (2006), Thematic Review of Tertiary Education: Korea Country Note, Directorate for Education, OECD, Paris.
2.5.4. Tertiary education

The hierarchy of universities has a powerful influence in determining success in ones
career and social status (KEDI, 2006). The most important positions in government,
business and even academia are monopolised by graduates of selective and prestigious
universities. Such graduates are preferentially hired not because of the perceived quality
of education they have received, but because they are judged to be inherently smart
because they have passed the very competitive entrance exam to these universities and
can get things done through informal connections with their universitys alumni in
important positions. Critics argue that such a system obstructs fair competition among
institutions, so that national competitiveness is ultimately compromised. It also exacerbates
the problems outlined above concerning the CSAT.
Government spending for tertiary education is quite low by international standards,
while private spending is high at nearly four times the OECD average (see Table 2.28).
This reflects the pattern of growth since 1980, which has seen tertiary education expand
through the opening of new institutions whose activities have been funded by parents
(and other private sources, such as churches and corporations). Thus, the enormous
increase in tertiary enrolments has been achieved without a substantial increase in public
funding (Grubb et al., 2006), with the proportion of private co-payments for tertiary

education standing at around 78%, one of the highest levels in the OECD area (OECD,
2007d). Students studying at college or university pay high fees, and only loans not
grants are available for children from poorer families.
According to a recent international review of Korean education conducted for the
OECD:
One way to view the current state of tertiary education in Korea is that the
basic building blocks are now in place the universities, colleges, and other
specialized institutions with the capacity to enrol substantial proportions of new
generations of students. However, the overall challenge for the next several
decades is to take these institutions and form them into a coherent system
responsive to the needs of parents and prospective students, to employers, and to
the social purposes of education. (Grubb et al., 2006)
Box 2.20. Challenges for Korean tertiary education

The match with labour markets. While it is often asserted that more individuals need to be schooled to meet
the challenges of competition and growth, there is evidence that the rapid expansion of tertiary education has
resulted in over-education. In addition, there are substantial complaints, particularly from employers, that the
skills of graduates do not match the skills required in the labour force.
Quality. Virtually everyone in Korea agrees that expansion has resulted in lower quality. However, no one
agrees about how to recognise or measure quality, so there is little agreement on what to do about it.
The quality of teaching and learning. A particular dimension of quality involves the nature of teaching. Most
Korean education has been concerned largely with information transfer, but many Koreans have recognised
that conventional lecture-dominated teaching is not a good way to prepare for entrepreneurs, creative thinkers
and new perspectives on Koreas role in a changing world. Current efforts to change teaching and learning
appear relatively weak and isolated.
Governance and regulation. The expansion of Korean education has occurred largely through expansion of
nominally private institutions, but the relatively tight control from MoE has led to institutions that sometimes
lack sufficient autonomy and flexibility. A more developmental conception of regulation one designed to
develop the capacities of tertiary institutions, rather than rely on bureaucratic norms to control their actions
probably requires a different approach, and a different type of government agency.
The role of tertiary education in R&D. A persistent question concerns the role of tertiary institutions in
R&D a topic that concerns much of this innovation policy review.
Equity in tertiary education. The expansion of tertiary education has taken place with little thought for equity
issues, understood as equity among social classes (or income groups) and equity between men and women. On
the one hand, expansion may have enhanced equity, by increasing opportunities for tertiary education. On the
other, the extreme differentiation of tertiary education in Korea, with intense pressure to get into the best
universities, has created new forms of inequality.
Regional equity and the domination of Seoul. Equity in Korea also takes the form of a regional imbalance, as
most young Koreans seem to want to migrate to Seoul while the government would like to see the population,
and employment, more evenly spread throughout the country.
Globalising pressures. Particularly for a country like Korea, which operates in an open economy, the effect of
a globalising world and economy has been powerful. However, the implications specifically for tertiary
education are unclear.
Creating a system of tertiary education. Because the expansion of tertiary education has happened so quickly,
there is now a case for paying increased attention to ways of creating a coherent system of inter-related
institutions.
Source: Grubb et al. (2006), Thematic Review of Tertiary Education: Korea Country Note, Directorate for Education, OECD, Paris.

The authors go on to identify several challenges facing tertiary education in Korea

(see Box 2.20), most of which are dealt with in various parts of this report. Among them
are concerns about quality. The sharp expansion in the number of students attending
university has apparently been accompanied by a decline in the quality of tertiary
education a common claim regarding fast-expanding tertiary education systems in many
OECD countries. Furthermore, Korean firms regularly complain about the standard of
graduates entering the employment market (another common complaint across the OECD
area), arguing that curricula are outdated and in need of renewal. At the same time,
students in many universities appear to do relatively little work, and there is a prevailing
view that university students, after the pressures of the CSAT, do not work very hard
(Grubb et al., 2006). In addition, Korean universities investments in facilities, including
equipment for scientific experimentation, are relatively low; this has a detrimental effect
on the training of new researchers. The consequences of these conditions are further
explored below.
2.5.5. Broad patterns in the supply of and demand for human resources
Throughout Koreas industrialisation process, an adequate supply and mobilisation of
qualified S&T human resources have been the foundation of industrial and S&T policy.
As Figure 2.40 shows, the number of researchers per thousand total employment was
above the OECD and the EU27 average in 2005. Owing to the dominance of the business
sector in R&D spending, the vast majority of these researchers are employed in firms (see
Table 2.30). However, universities are by far the largest employers of PhDs (Table 2.31),
although they account for just 10% of Korean gross domestic expenditure on R&D
(GERD). This would seem to suggest a significant mismatch between research spending
and capabilities and points to the need to enhance R&D spending in universities and/or
provide greater incentives to encourage more PhDs to work in the private sector or GRIs.
Table 2.30. Number of researchers by sector of performance, 1997-2006

Head count and percentages
Total Public research institutes Universities Companies

Researchers
Researchers
Researchers
Researchers
Growth rate
Growth rate
Growth rate
Growth rate
Ratio
Ratio
Ratio
Ratio
1997 138 438 100.0 4.5 15 185 11.0 2.2 48 588 35.1 7.2 74 665 53.9 4.9
1998 129 767 100.0 6.3 12 587 9.7 17.1 51 162 39.4 5.3 66 018 50.9 11.6
1999 134 568 100.0 3.7 13 986 10.4 11.1 50 151 37.3 2.0 70 431 52.3 6.7
2000 159 973 100.0 18.9 13 913 8.7 0.5 51 727 32.3 3.1 94 333 59.0 33.9
2001 178 937 100.0 11.9 13 921 7.8 0.1 53 717 30.0 3.8 111 299 62.2 18.0
2002 189 888 100.0 6.1 14 094 7.4 1.2 57 634 30.4 7.3 118 160 62.2 6.2
2003 198 171 100.0 4.4 14 395 7.3 2.1 59 746 30.1 3.7 124 030 62.7 5.1
2004 209 979 100.0 6.0 15 722 7.5 9.2 59 957 28.5 0.4 134 300 64.0 8.3
2005 234 702 100.0 11.8 15 501 6.6 1.4 64 895 27.6 8.2 154 306 65.7 14.9
2006 256 598 100.0 9.3 16 771 6.5 8.2 65 923 25.7 1.6 173 904 67.8 12.7

Table 2.31. The distribution of researchers by degree, 2006

Headcount and percentages
Public research institutes Universities Companies Total

8 083 40 256 11 674
PhD 60 013
(13.5) (67.1) (19.5)
6 887 22 878 53 615
Master 83 380
(8.3) (27.4) (64.3)
1 579 1 835 98 008
Bachelor 101 422
(1.6) (1.8) (96.6)
222 954 10 607
Others 11 783
(1.9) (8.1) (90.0)
Figure 2.40. Researchers per thousand total employment, 2006 or nearest available year
Of which business enterprise researchers Others
20 15 10 5 0
Finland
Sweden
Japan
United States
Korea
France
OECD
Germany
EU27
United Kingdom
China
The generally impressive increases in researcher numbers have been achieved by a

remarkable record in expanding student enrolments at all levels of schooling. Further-
more, Korea produces among the highest numbers of science and engineering (S&E)
graduates as a proportion of the total, although there has been a slight decline in recent
years, albeit less so than in many other leading industrial economies (Figure 2.41). The
graduation rate of women in these subjects is also close to the OECD average at around
30%, though the data in Figure 2.41 would seem to suggest that many fail to take up
employment in the field.

Figure 2.41. Science and engineering degrees as a percentage of total new degrees, 2005
% Science degrees Engineering degrees Share of S&E degrees in 2000

45
30.2 28.8 29.7 33.7 35.0 13.9 31.4 34.2
40
Percentage of S&E
35 degrees awarded to
women
30
25
20
15
10
1. 2003 data for the United Kingdom are used.

Source: OECD, Education database, September 2007.
Figures for graduation rates at doctoral level are perhaps less impressive, with Korea
below the OECD average, although Japan performs even less well (Figure 2.42). The
number of doctorates awarded to women is also the lowest among the leading industrial
countries. As discussed below, many Koreans choose to study overseas for their
doctorates, so these figures are likely to significantly under-estimate the total number of
Koreans graduating with PhDs. However, decreasing return rates mean that these
overseas PhDs may not be the resource they once were, an issue further discussed below.
The most recent data from the Ministry of Education (up to 2006) suggests that the
situation in science and engineering degrees is rapidly worsening (Figures 2.43 and 2.44).
The falls in engineering enrolments are especially pronounced in junior colleges. There
has also been a slight decline in the number of enrolments in natural sciences. The social
sciences and humanities are increasingly popular, particularly in the universities, with the
number of social science enrolments surpassing the number of engineers for the first time
in 2005. There have also been slight increases in enrolments in medicine and pharma-
cology.

Figure 2.42. Graduation rates at doctorate level, 2004
% Doctoral degrees in science and engineering

3.5
24.9 24.3 41.7 41.7 47.7 48.7 43.1 39.0 42.6
3.0
2.5
Percentage of doctorates
awarded to women
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Figure 2.43. University enrolments by field, 1999-2006
600 000
500 000
Social sciences
400 000 Engineering

Number of students
Humanities
300 000
Natural sciences
200 000
Arts and physical sciences
100 000 Education
Medicine and pharmacology

0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Ministry of Education statistics.

Figure 2.44. Junior college enrolment by field, 1999-2006
450 000
400 000
350 000 Engineering
300 000 Social sciences

Number of students
250 000 Arts and physical sciences
200 000 Medicine and pharmacology

150 000
Natural sciences
100 000
Humanities
50 000
Education
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Ministry of Education statistics.
Box 2.21. Explanations for the growing disinterest in science and engineering
Ryoo (2004) has analysed the economic roots of the increasing tendency of Korean high-school students
to reject S&E fields in tertiary education. The study compared the performance of science and engineering
graduates in the labour market with that of other graduates by analysing the Korean Labour and Income Panel
Study (KLIPS) data from 1998 to 2002. It found that the unemployment rate of S&E graduates is slightly
higher than that of non-S&E graduates, though the differences are negligible. Furthermore, the analysis
showed that the relative economic position of S&E graduates measured in terms of employment quality is not
significantly different from that of non-S&E graduates. However, the study did show that S&E graduates earn
relatively low wages and self-employment income. Moreover, the relative income of the top 5% of S&E
graduates has been declining in recent years. The study concluded that the main reasons for avoiding S&E
fields are the low relative incomes of the average S&E graduate as well as the increasingly lower relative
income of the most able S&E graduates, coupled with the increasing compensating differential required for
S&E jobs.
In a further study, Park (2004) has analysed the causes of the decline in applications for S&E courses.
Compared to graduates in the social sciences and humanities, the study found that S&E graduates have a
higher risk of suffering redundancy and lower levels of remuneration throughout their careers. S&E graduates
start with lower wages than their counterparts in social sciences and humanities when they enter the job
market, and this persists until the 15th year of their careers. Furthermore, because S&E graduates have a
higher risk of redundancy, they suffer from greater job insecurity. Interestingly, rapid technological progress
and the risks of knowledge obsolescence are, among others, a major cause of job instability for S&E
graduates.
A sample of academic work examining these enrolment trends is summarised in

Box 2.21. Perceptions of relatively low remuneration and unfavourable working
conditions would seem to be contributing to a decline in interest in S&E degrees. Similar
trends and their causes can be observed in most OECD countries, so the situation in
Korea is hardly unusual. On the other hand, these trends are a cause for continuing
concern among S&T policy makers in Korea. The question is whether these concerns are
well founded. On the face of it, such declines would certainly seem to be worrying, but it
might reasonably be argued that Korea has perhaps been producing too many engineering

graduates in recent years and that some readjustment is in fact overdue. Indeed, when
compared to other leading industrial manufacturing economies, such as Germany, Japan
and Sweden, Korea still produces a far larger proportion of engineering graduates, even
when recent declines are taken into account. The picture is slightly different for the
natural sciences, in which the proportion of enrolments is lower than in some leading
industrial countries (Germany, France and the United Kingdom), though on a par with
Japan and the United States. The situation will need to be carefully monitored, though
declines in enrolments to date remain relatively small. Perhaps of greater concern than a
potential quantitative shortage is the quality of students in science and engineering, as
shown by their CSAT scores. These have been declining as more able students are
attracted to social sciences, business, law, education and medicine.
Besides international benchmarking, the economys demand for S&E graduates is
also a useful guide for gauging whether perceptions of crisis in the supply of S&E
graduates are in fact justified. According to the Korean Educational Development
Institute (KEDI), the leading educational research institute in Korea, there is an
imbalance in the supply of and demand for human resources, in terms of university
qualifications and the fields covered. Overall, there are too many people with bachelors
degrees and too few with masters or doctoral degrees in high-technology fields (KEDI,
2006). The latter point would seem to be supported by data from the Korean Ministry of
Labour (see Table 2.32), which show a growing shortage of technical manpower since
2004.7 The shortage is much greater for SMEs than the industry average on account of
sharp increases in wage differentials by firm size (see Table 2.33). In other words, the
shortage of technical personnel in SMEs is likely caused by SMEs inability to pay
competitive wages rather than by strong demand for technical manpower.
Table 2.32. Shortage of technical personnel, 2004-07

Percentages
2004 2005 2006 2007
Total 2.5 3.1 2.7 3.2
Shortage rate of SMEs 3.7 5.0 5.3 5.0

Notes: Technical personnel here is defined as the following occupations according to OES (Korean Employment Classification of
Occupations): Natural and Life Science Professionals (042), Natural and life Science associate professionals (044), Mechanical Engineer
(151), Metal and Materials Engineers (161), Electric and Electronic Engineers (191), Computer and Telecommunication Engineers (201),
Computer and Information System professionals (202).
Source: Korean Ministry of Labour, Labour Demand Survey, various years.
Table 2.33. Average wage levels of SMEs relative to those of large firms, manufacturing sector,
1990, 1995, 2000-05
1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Relative wage level of SMEs (%) 66.2 64.3 55.5 55.4 55.7 54.8 52.2 51.5
Note: Average wage level of large firm = 100.
Source: Korean National Statistical Office, Report on Mining and Manufacturing Survey, various years.

In a further study, Grubb et al. (2006) conclude that the expansion of tertiary
education seems to have outpaced the demand for jobs requiring high levels of schooling,
and that the Korean system is preparing too few technicians in junior colleges, while there
are too many individuals with bachelors degrees who cannot find appropriate employ-
ment. The latter point is supported by figures from KEDI (2006), which show that only
about two-thirds of new graduates of universities and junior colleges find employment
within six months of graduating. Changes in recruiting practices and higher student
expectations are blamed for the resulting high unemployment rates. With so much
competition for jobs, university and college graduates have lost their former privileged
status in the labour market and now compete with workers with qualifications from
vocational high schools (OECD, 2005b). This has led to a drop in wage differentials
based on educational levels. For example, until the mid-1980s, the average wage of
college graduates was 2.3 times greater than that of high school graduates, but since the
early 1990s, it has stayed at around 1.5 times greater. The average wage of junior college
graduates, which used to be 1.5 times greater than that of high school graduates in the
1980s, dropped to only 1.024 times greater by 2004. Given these narrowing wage
differentials and high unemployment rates, it would seem that the choice of tertiary
education can be explained by a deeply rooted respect for knowledge, a Confucian
cultural heritage, and the elitism associated with college education.
To conclude, complaints about the mismatches of skills are quite varied in their origin
and in their solutions:
Some seem to arise from student misunderstanding of what jobs require, and
then the solution is better information to students. Some arise from educational
institutions having rigid staffing structures and being resistant to change and,
particularly, failing to recognize the competencies required in modern work, and
the solution is for employers and education providers to confer about the
requirements of modern work. Sometimes the solution should come from
employers themselves, developing certain skills on their own, or creating intern-
ships and other forms of work-based learning. In some cases, like shortages of
workers in unpleasant jobs, the real solution should come from the demand side
and increasing wages. And more might be done through financial incentives that
encourage responsiveness to changing circumstances on the part of higher
education institutions. Like many other issues in Korean education, the problem of
mismatches is not a single issue, but a series of somewhat different issues
requiring different solutions. (Grubb et al., 2006)
2.5.6. Lifelong learning

The marked expansion of higher education in the past few decades has led to major
differences in educational attainment of successive generations (see Figure 2.45). The
Korean education system is strongly geared to young people, with the participation of the
younger generation above the OECD average; in older age groups, participation is well
below the OECD average (see Table 2.34). These figures are a reflection of the delay in
investing in adult education, the causes of which are twofold. First, when industrialisation
began, Korea needed large numbers of less skilled workers, since it initially entered the
global market with simple products. At that time Koreans did not have the same
education opportunities as the current generation. Second, significant population growth
(from 25.8 million in 1961 to 48 million in 2003) meant that it was easy to improve the
skills structure of the working population via the change in generations. This has worked

well until recently, but with a sharp drop in the birth rate, annual employment growth is
set to decline, irrespective of any increases that might occur in the employment rate. This
means that further technological and economic change will be increasingly dependent on
continuing education and training for those already in employment (OECD, 2005b).
Figure 2.45. Percentage of population by age group that has attained at least tertiary education, 2005
%
100
90
80
25-34 45-54
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
1. Data for Russian Federation 2003.

2. Data for Chile and Brazil 2004.
Source: OECD (2007), Education at a Glance, OECD, Paris.
Table 2.34. Enrolment rates of full-time and part-time students in public and private institutions,
by age, 2005
Percentages
15-19 20-29 30-39 40 and over

Korea (2005) 85.6 27.3 2.0 0.5
Korea (2001)1 79.3 25.0 1.6 0.3
Finland 87.5 42.6 13.1 3.0
Germany 88.8 28.2 2.5 0.1
Sweden 87.3 36.4 13.3 3.0
United Kingdom 78.5 29.0 15.8 7.8
United States 78.6 23.1 5.2 1.4
OECD average 81.5 24.9 6.0 1.6
1. Korean data for 2001 taken from OECD (2003), Education at a Glance 2003, OECD, Paris.
Source: OECD (2007), Education at a Glance 2007, OECD, Paris.

The Korean government has recognised this problem and has in recent years sought to
promote the participation of adults in formal education. But progress is slow, owing in
part to the continuing emphasis upon full-time degree programmes in the Korean
education system, although these are generally ill suited to the needs of adults already in
employment (Grubb et al., 2006). Furthermore, the dualistic nature of the Korean labour
market inhibits the possibility of a far greater uptake of education by those in
employment, as explained in Box 2.22.
Box 2.22. Dualism in the Korean labour market

The Korean labour market is divided into regular and irregular/non-regular workers. Wages and fringe
benefits of the latter are substantially lower than those of the former. The labour market for regular workers is
characterised by lifetime employment, low risk of layoffs, good social security, trade-union representation (at
least in larger manufacturing companies), and minimal intercompany mobility. By contrast, the market for
irregular workers can be described as a competitive market with almost no restrictions on hiring and firing.
The labour market is also segmented by company size, gender and levels of qualification. In smaller
companies wages are substantially lower than in bigger ones (see Table 2.33). Furthermore, there is little
opportunity for workers in small companies to move to larger ones. A far higher proportion of women than
men are in irregular employment. Higher percentages of irregular workers are found among the less skilled
than among the more highly skilled. This division in the labour market, the lack of mobility prospects for
irregular workers and workers in SMEs, and the seniority-based wage system, all mean that there is little
financial incentive for many workers to invest in their own human capital.
Source: OECD (2005), Thematic Review of Adult Learning: Korea Country Note, OECD, Paris.
2.5.7. Gender imbalance

The female employment rate is also relatively low at 52.5% compared to an OECD
average of 56.1%. In all OECD countries except Korea, women with university level
educational attainment have higher rates of participation in the labour force than those
with lower levels. In 2004, 57% of women with university education participated in the
labour force compared with 59% of women who had only compulsory education (OECD,
2007f). An important reason for this trend in Korea lies in traditional family values, with
women remaining at home. Well-qualified men can normally earn a wage which allows
them to finance the traditional family model. Since highly qualified Korean women tend
to marry well-qualified men, they are more likely to adopt the traditional family model
(OECD, 2005b).
However, another important reason for the low activity rate among well-qualified
women lies in the duality of the labour market (see Box 2.22), which manifests itself most
clearly in the significant gender wage gap. As Figure 2.46 shows, while there are still
wage differentials between women and men across all OECD countries, the situation in
Korea is particularly acute. Other unfavourable labour market outcomes for women
include a large proportion (one-third) of women holding temporary work contracts (with
few prospects for advancement) and a long working-hours culture.8 These are structural
problems in the economy that will be difficult to solve, but there is a clear need for
increased levels of female employment, as the Korean labour force is projected to decline
in future (OECD, 2005b).

Figure 2.46. Gender gap in full-time earnings at the top and bottom of the earnings distribution,
45
40 20th percentile 80th percentile
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Source: OECD (2006a), Society at a Glance, OECD, Paris.
Figure 2.47. Women researchers by sector of employment, as a percentage of total researchers, 2006
Business enterprises Government

%
50
40
30
20
10
Note: 2005 instead of 2006 for Denmark, Germany and Norway; 2004 for Switzerland.

Korea also has one of the lowest proportions of women researchers (see Figure 2.47),
at 13% in 2006 (Table 2.35). The sector with the largest proportion of female researchers
is higher education (around 20%), with business enterprises the lowest (around 10%).
These figures can no doubt be attributed to some of the more generic reasons for low
female participation rates discussed above. However, in addition, the fact that Koreas
human resources in science and technology (HRST) are heavily biased towards the
traditionally less female-friendly engineering professions clearly contributes to these low
levels. As Table 2.36 shows, more than 90% of researchers are working in engineering,
an area that has by far the lowest female participation rates at a meagre 8%.
Table 2.35. The distribution of researchers by gender and sector of performance, 2006
Male Female
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Public research organisations 14 122 84.2 2 649 15.8
Universities 52 879 80.2 13 044 19.8
Companies 155 915 89.7 17 989 10.3
Total 222 916 86.9 33 682 13.1
Table 2.36. The distribution of researchers by gender and major field, 2006
Male Female
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Natural science 26 911 76.4 8 328 23.6
Engineering 169 909 91.9 14 988 8.1
Medical science 11 851 68.1 5 540 31.9
Agriculture, forestry, fishery 6 063 85.0 1 069 15.0
Others 8 182 68.5 3 757 31.5
Total 222 916 86.9 33 682 13.1

2.5.8. Labour mobility

There is generally little labour mobility in Korea. Some of the reasons have already
been discussed and concern the dualistic nature of the labour market, particularly the
divide between regular and non-regular workers and between large firms and SMEs. In
the context of innovation, a further issue of concern is the relative lack of HRST mobility
between universities, GRIs and industry, which tends to hamper knowledge diffusion
throughout the innovation system. There are cultural reasons for this, including the
perceived status of certain types of jobs and institutions (for example, working in a
university is highly regarded and few people leave once they enter the academic system).
Working conditions can also contribute to such perceptions, with weak pension provision
and the need to compete for funding a major disincentive for many to move to GRIs from
a more comfortable existence in a university. Taken together, these conditions mean that
GRIs and firms have experienced an internal brain drain to the universities, with very
little movement in the opposite direction.
Another aspect of HRST mobility concerns migration into and out of Korea. The
rapidly growing demand for highly skilled workers and growing concerns about ageing
populations have translated into a global competition for talent. A major challenge for
Asian nations has been the creation of domestic employment opportunities, through either
foreign direct investment (FDI) or investment by national governments and indigenous
businesses, to enable career paths to be pursued back home, thus transforming a potential
brain drain into an actual brain gain (Lazonick, 2007). This challenge is especially
acute for Korea, with 13 scholars (university researchers or teachers) in the United States
per 100 university researchers in Korea, a rate far higher than in the leading OECD
economies. Moreover, the average annual growth rate in the number of scholars working
abroad is the highest in the world at almost 10% over the last decade or so (see
Table 2.37).
Furthermore, it has been reported that there were over 100 000 students from Korea in
the United States in 2007, more than from any other country and well ahead of the former
No. 1, India.9 Many are studying postgraduate courses in science and engineering and
therefore offer great potential to further boost HRST in Korea. But this potential may not
be realised, at least not in the short term, since the number of doctoral students returning
to Korea after graduation has dramatically declined over the last decade (see Figure 2.48),
leading some to declare an apparent brain drain crisis. The reasons for (immediate)
non-return tend to be complex and have yet to be fully researched in the Korean context.
Preliminary findings seem to point to the following: higher quality research and work
environments in the United States; lack of suitable post-doc positions in Korea, especially
in universities; and better conditions in the United States to raise and educate children.
Some derive a brain drain scenario from this and point to the need to improve research
and education in Korean universities. A more positive view is that Korea is becoming
more internationalised through a process of brain circulation.

Table 2.37. Growth in foreign scholars, by economy of origin, average annual growth rate, 1995-2006
Number of scholars in the United States

Average annual growth rate
Country per 100 university researchers in the
1995-2006
economy of origin1
Korea 9.9 13.0
India 7.7 n.a
China 6.1 n.a
Russia 5.6 8.2
Chinese Taipei 3.3 5.8
France 3.1 3.0
OECD (1995-2004) 3.1 n.a
Sweden (1995-2005) 2.8 1.7
United Kingdom 2.0 n.a
EU25 (1995-2004) 1.7 n.a
Germany 1.4 2.8
Japan 0.8 1.9
Finland (1995-2004) - 2.9 1.6
1. 2005 for Japan and Korea; 2004 for France and Germany; 2003 for Sweden; 2002 for other economies.
Figure 2.48. Postgraduate plans of Korean recipients of doctorate from US universities in

science and engineering fields, 1995-2004
SE (N=7171)
90
82.2
80.2
80 74.5 75.4 73.9
71
70
62.3
60
52.8
50.1 50.2
50
47.4 46.1
40 45.4
30 35.4
20 25.2
22.9 22.8 22.9
18.4
10 15.5
4.4 3.8 3.2
2.4 1.1 2.3 2.6 1.4 2.3 1.8
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
(N=788) (N=799) (N=701) (N=599) (N=599) (N=619) (N=696) (N=685) (N=784) (N=901)
Plan to return to Korea Plan to remain in United States Plan to move to another country
Source: NSF (2004), Survey of Earned Doctorates, US National Science Foundation.

At the same time, the number of foreign highly skilled workers in Korea has
stagnated at around 25 000 since 2000, accounting for about 6% of the total foreign
labour force. In contrast, skilled labour accounts for 19% of foreign labour in Japan. The
low share of highly skilled workers is largely a result of problems in the business and
living environment and administrative regulations that make it difficult to work in Korea
(OECD, 2007a). The Korean government is providing preferential treatment and incentives
to attract highly skilled foreign workers, measures which are described in Chapter 3.
2.6. System linkages
It is important both to develop capabilities and opportunities in research actors and to

pay attention to the linkages between them. Accordingly, over the last two decades,
governments across the OECD area have reframed their S&T policies with a view to
strengthening systems of innovation. This has led policy makers to consider the
relationships and linkages between different players in innovation systems: firms,
universities and government research institutes. This section reviews the state of Korean
innovation system linkages on the basis of funding and technology transfer statistics. It
begins with a discussion of research convergence, which tends to have implications for
the degree of complementarity and co-operation across research systems.
2.6.1. Convergence and competition

The evidence shows that a high rate of complementarity between public- and private-
sector R&D improves innovation performance, with each actor performing relatively
distinct functions essential to the operation of the innovation system. Furthermore,
complementary assets and capabilities are more conducive to co-operation between
innovation actors. This complementarity clearly exists in all OECD countries, including
Korea, but is also under pressure from the tendency for research performers research
activities to converge.
This convergence is well-illustrated by the evolution of research performed in Korean
industry, HEIs and the GRIs (based on Frascati Manual definitions, OECD, 2002). It is
apparent from the data that the growth in the proportion of basic research spending in
Korea in recent years is entirely accounted for by significant budget increases in
companies, where the share of investment in basic research almost doubled from 6.5% of
BERD in 1998 to 11.9% in 2006 (see Figure 2.8 in section 2.1). By contrast, the
proportion of spending on basic research has fallen in both the GRIs (from 26.7% in 1998
to 20.5% in 2006 see Table 2.21 in section 2.3) and HEIs (from 40.1% in 1998 to
33.4% in 2006 see Table 2.25 in section 2.4). Similarly, the overall decline in the
proportion of applied research carried out in Korea can be entirely accounted for by
shifting research portfolios in companies, where only 15.6% of research was classified as
applied in 2006 compared to 21.1% in 1998. While the proportions of applied research
in GRIs and HEIs have remained relatively constant, the proportions of experimental
development carried out in these organisations increased markedly from 38.0% in 1998
to 43.7% in 2006 in GRIs, and from 26.1 to 34.4% in HEIs over the same period.
These figures can be explained by two important developments: first, several large
Korean companies have reached the technological frontier in their sectors and have
recognised the need to conduct more basic research in order to compete successfully. At the
same time, more SMEs and venture companies are investing in basic research than
previously. As a result, Korean firms are now by far the major investors in basic research in

Korea, spending around 50% more in absolute terms than the GRIs and HEIs combined.
The second development concerns the pressures on GRIs and HEIs to commercialise the
fruits of their research, which has led them to focus increasingly upon experimental
development.
It would be too much to characterise these shifts as a reversal of the traditional roles of
research system actors, particularly as GRIs and HEIs still spend a higher proportion of
their R&D budgets on basic research than firms and the latter spend a higher proportion of
their R&D on experimental development than the public sector. These figures are
nevertheless symptomatic of the growing convergence of research performers in Korea. As
a result, their complementarities are less clear-cut, and this has been a factor not only in the
GRIs identity crisis, but has also contributed to greater competition between research
performers, as well as a lack of trust, probably at the expense of greater co-operation.
2.6.2. The strength of system linkages

Korea has a rich and successful history of public-private partnerships (P/PPs) in
technology and product development. For example, the well-known technologies TDX,
DRAM and TICOM were all developed by R&D consortia involving GRIs and private
firms. Furthermore, many Korean government funding programmes require the building of
such consortia more than one-third of the governments R&D funding is funnelled
through industry-HEI/GRI co-operative programmes (see Chapter 3). Despite these
impressive figures and Koreas history of collaboration, the industry-academia-government
interface is widely considered by Koreans to be weak and the level of R&D collaboration
between public and private research to be insufficient. How is this perception to be
explained?
Here, it is worth considering the levels of expenditures by industry on research
performed in HEIs and GRIs and the levels of government funding to industry. Both are
useful measures for examining shifting collaborative arrangements and for international
benchmarking. Figure 2.49 shows that the proportion of government intramural expenditure
on R&D (GOVERD) (essentially, R&D carried out in the GRIs) funded by the private
sector has more than halved since 2000 (from 9.5% to just 4.5%). Figure 2.50 also confirms
this trend, showing that businesses spent just 0.6% of their R&D spending in the GRIs in
2005 (compared to 1.3% in 2000). Yet, comparing these latest figures to international
benchmarks, Korea is a middle performer, with a much higher proportion of business
funding of GOVERD than the United States and Japan, but only about half the level of
Germany and the United Kingdom (Figure 2.51). Thus, perceptions of weakness in
relations between industry and the GRIs are probably informed by history, as the GRIs
played a much more prominent role in Koreas industrialisation process in earlier times.
The situation of industry funding of higher education expenditure on R&D (HERD) is
somewhat different. As Figure 2.49 shows, the proportion of HERD funded by industry has
remained roughly flat over the ten years to 2006 and stands at 13.7%, three times the figure
for GOVERD. At the same time, while Figure 2.50 shows a decline in the share of
business-funded R&D performed in HEIs, it is slight (from 2.4% in 2000 to 2.0% in 2005);
industry spends more than three times as much in HEIs as in GRIs. Moreover, international
comparison shows the percentage of HERD funded by industry to be one of the highest in
the OECD area (see Figure 2.52), while the share of business-funded R&D performed in
HEIs at 2% in 2005 also compares favourably internationally.10 Thus, R&D collabora-
tion between industry and HEIs would seem to be relatively strong and stable, something
that new government funding directed at the HEI sector should remain sensitive to.

Figure 2.49. Percentage of GOVERD and HERD funded by business in Korea, 1997-2006
HERD GOVERD
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure 2.50. Proportion of business-funded R&D received by universities and GRIs, 2000-05
(%)
3
2.5 2.4
Universities' R&D from the business sector/
Business sector's total R&D
2 2
2 1.9
1.8
1.7
1.5
1.3
1
1
0.8
0.7
0.5 GRIs' R&D from the business sector/ 0.6 0.6
Business sector's total R&D
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Source: KISTEP database.

Figure 2.51. Business-financed R&D in the government sector (2006 or nearest available year), as a
percentage of GOVERD
25
20
15
10
Figure 2.52. Business-financed R&D in HEIs (2006 or nearest available year), as a percentage of HERD
25
20
15
10
In terms of government-funded research performed in business enterprises, Figure

2.53 shows that this has hovered at around 5% in recent years. In the wake of the Asian
financial crisis of the late-1990s, the government increased its financing of BERD, but
this has since fallen back. Much of the recent decline can be accounted for by relative and
absolute declines in the amount of R&D subsidies awarded to large firms. For example,
in 2001, large firms received more than USD 600 million in R&D subsidies (accounting
for 6.6% of large firm BERD), but by 2005, this had dropped to around USD 450 million
(amounting to around 2.7% of large firm BERD). By contrast, the subsidies awarded to
SMEs continue to increase, keeping pace with these firms own increased spending on
R&D. Thus, in 2000, SMEs benefited from a subsidy of around USD 265 million (11.7%
of SME BERD), which increased to around USD 500 million by 2005 (representing
12.5% of SME BERD), thereby exceeding the funding made available to large firms.

Figure 2.53. Korean government-financed R&D in business, as a percentage of BERD, 1997-2006
14.0
12.0
10.0
Percentage
8.0
Total
6.0 Large firm
4.0 SME
2.0
0.0
Source: KISTEP database and OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, April 2008.
These figures are important from a system linkages perspective because a large
proportion of government spending on R&D is funnelled through public-private partner-
ships (P/PPs). As Table 2.38 shows, in 2006, co-operative R&D accounted for 57.7% of
the total national R&D expenditure. At the same time, the share of P/PPs, including
industry-university, industry-GRIs, and industry-university-GRIs, stood at 37%, a
remarkably high figure. Thus, R&D subsidies to industry very often come with conditions
requiring collaboration with the public sector, thereby enhancing system linkages.
Viewed in this way, the absolute and relative decline of subsidies received by large firms
might be interpreted as a weakening of their ties to the public sector research base a
concern sometimes aired by those interviewed in the course of this review. On the other
hand, the growth of subsidies to SMEs, as well as the apparent recent strengthening of
industry-GRI links (see Table 2.38) may be cause for optimism.
Table 2.38. Types of P/PPs in terms of R&D expenditure, 2005-06
2005 2006
Type of partnership
KRW billions % KRW billions %
Industry-HEI 748 11.8 796 11.3
Industry-GRI 452 7.1 739 10.5
Industry-HEI-GRI 1 069 16.9 1 066 15.2
Sum: P/PPs 2 270 35.8 2 602 37.0
Other partnerships 1 466 23.1 1 450 20.6
No partnership 2 602 41.1 2 976 42.3
Total 6 339 100.0 7 029 100.0
Note: Other partnerships includes industry-industry, GRI-GRI, HEI-HEI and GRI-HEI partnerships.
Source: KISTEP database.

Another means of assessing system linkages is to examine patenting behaviour. Just

over 6% of domestic patent applications in 2005 emerged from co-operative R&D
partnerships, with the vast majority accounted for by firm-firm and firm-individual co-
operation (Figure 2.54). The data point to a lower level of co-operation between firms and
the public-sector research base, although co-operation between firms and universities has
grown markedly over the last few years from a very low base (Figure 2.55).
Figure 2.54. Ratio of co-operative R&D to total patent applications, 1990-2005
Figure 2.55. Domestic patent applications arising from firms co-operative R&D, 1990-2005
2000
Other firms
(Number)
Individuals
1500 CGRIs
Non-profit organisations
Universities
1000
500
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

A further indicator of linkages in the innovation system concerns rates of technology

transfer, particularly from the public to the private sector. Table 2.39 shows that the rate
of technology transfer from GRIs and universities has increased markedly in recent years,
reaching 30% in the case of GRIs and almost 10% in universities by 2005, owing to new
policy schemes, such as the operation of public technology transfer consortia and the
designation of TLOs at universities and at GRIs. A 2006 survey conducted by MoCIE
shows that 90% of technology transfer by P/PPs was channelled through technology
licences, with only 7% realised through direct sales and 3% through technological alliances.
Table 2.39. Technology transfer from the public sector, 2002, 2004-05
~ 2002 2004 2005

Owned Transferred % Owned Transferred % Owned Transferred %
GRIs 17 384 3 003 17.3 21 822 5 499 25.0 23 335 6 993 30.0
Universities 5 496 258 4.7 13 644 1 121 8.2 18 878 1 761 9.3
Note: % = transferred/owned.
Source: MoCIE (2006), A Survey on the Technology Transfer of Public Research Institutes, Minsitry of Commerce, Industry and Energy,
Seoul.
Finally, besides research and technological development, there is also some

collaboration in teaching. The GRIs and HEIs already engage in some co-operation for
the training of postgraduate students, as discussed above. In addition, there is some
collaboration between HEIs and industry, although this could be developed much further.
According to a recent review of education policy (Grubb et al., 2006), colleges appear to
be more closely related to employers than universities. It is more common for colleges to
set up partnerships with local firms, particularly SMEs, and they often offer customised
training, in which firms pay for short-term training adapted or customised to their purposes.

Notes
1. Austrade, www.austrade.gov.au/Biotechnology-to-Korea/default.aspx, accessed 7 April

2008.
2. Eurostat (2008) provides the following explanation: It should be borne in mind that
in the Community Innovation Survey (CIS), small enterprises have at least 10 employees.
Self-employed entrepreneurs and very small enterprises are not covered by the CIS [or
by the Korean Innovation Survey]. This does not mean that these enterprises are not
actively innovating, but they may not innovate in the same way and for this reason are
not comparable with larger enterprises. Research and development (R&D) are essential
for innovation in new goods and services. A certain size is necessary if an enterprise is
to be continuously active in R&D. Many SMEs cannot pay one or more employees to
work full-time on R&D. The problem with an R&D employee is that he or she does not
necessarily produce something that can be sold in the short run. Many technical
products need long years of research.
3. MEST website (http://english.mest.go.kr), accessed August 2008.
4. On the other hand, the GRIs are major players in some of the governments more long-
term, strategic research programmes, including the 21st century frontiers programme.
5. As reported in The Korea Times, 20 March 2008.
6. These institutions may also have problems attracting high-quality faculty. According to
KEDI (2006), although tertiary institutions in Korea do not have much difficulty filling
faculty positions, some institutions find it hard to procure a long-term supply of
professors of high quality primarily because of financial reasons. Currently, many
tertiary institutions are facing financial difficulties as the number of enrolled students
declines, leading to less tuition income. Regional universities and junior colleges are
especially vulnerable to financial difficulties and are more likely to find it difficult to
secure quality faculty members.
7. Before 2004, the Labour Demand Survey used KSCO (Korean Standard Classifica-
tion of Occupation) rather than OES. Accordingly, statistics on shortage rates before
2004 are not comparable with statistics after 2004.
8. Almost 90% of the male workforce spends over 40 hours a week at work as compared
with the OECD average of 76%. Although fewer (77%) Korean women work over
40 hours a week, this is significantly higher than the OECD average of 49% (OECD,
2007f).
9. The 103 394 Korean students studying in the United States at the end of 2007 accounted
for 14% of the foreign students in the country. The share has been steadily increasing,
up 12.6% at the end of 2005 from the previous year, 10.5% in 2006, and another 10.3%
in 2007. India ranked second, followed by China, Japan and Chinese Taipei.
10. The shares of business-funded R&D performed in HEIs in some leading economies are
as follows: 0.5% in Japan; 0.6% in France; 1.1% in the United States; 2.7% in the
United Kingdom; and 3.4% in Germany (all figures are for 2006). Figures based upon
OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators 2008/1.

3. GOVERNMENT INNOVATION POLICY 173
Chapter 3
Government Innovation Policy
This chapter examines the innovation policies put in place by the Korean government to
address the many issues discussed in previous chapters. It begins with a short history of
developments in Korean innovation policy over the past 40 years and highlights the issues
that dominate todays innovation policy agenda. The main policy-making institutions are
then described, followed by an examination of the way policy is co-ordinated and governed.
Funding programmes for research are discussed, as is Korean policy on human resources
for science and technology, followed by consideration of more demand-side policies and
policies aimed at improving the framework conditions for innovation. The final sections
of the chapter take a spatial perspective by considering policy efforts for promoting the
internationalisation and regionalisation of science and innovation.
3.1. Introduction to Korean innovation policy
This section presents a short history of Korean innovation policy over the last four
decades to set the scene for outlining some of the major issues on the contemporary
innovation policy agenda.
3.1.1. Korean innovation policy from the 1960s

Korean S&T policy can be traced back to the 1960s and the establishment in 1966 of
the first government research institute (GRI), the Korea Institute of Science and
Technology (KIST), followed by the formation of the Ministry of Science and
Technology (MoST), and the drawing up of the S&T Promotion Law a year later. In the
1970s, several more GRIs were founded, further S&T promotion laws enacted, R&D tax
credits introduced, and the training of scientists and engineers ratcheted up. This era has
been described as one of imitation (see Table 3.1), with Korea putting in place a science
and technology system that would allow it to absorb and adapt foreign technologies in
support of its burgeoning industrialisation process.
The 1980s have been viewed as heralding an era of transformation, with the
government looking to target core technologies that would actively lead Korean national
economic growth rather than passively supporting industrys technological demands. This
decade saw the introduction by MoST in 1982 of the first national R&D programme.
Shortly afterwards, similar R&D programmes were set up in various ministries, and
mission-oriented technological research was pursued in support of individual ministries
core missions in areas such as information and communications, environment, construction
and transport, agriculture, and health. In addition to this shift in research funded by the

174 3. GOVERNMENT INNOVATION POLICY
public sector, the private sector was encouraged to engage in technology development
through a wide range of measures, including tax incentives, financial provisions, public
procurement and S&T-related infrastructure. Within a few short years, the level of R&D
spending by the private sector had out-stripped that of the public sector.
Many changes then occurred in the second half of the 1990s, at the time of the Asian
financial crisis. The government sought to shift policy towards supporting a more creative
type of innovation system, with less emphasis on technology development by the chaebol
(the countrys large conglomerates), more spending on fundamental research so that
Korea could increasingly work at knowledge frontiers, and the adoption of an innovation
policy framework that emphasised a diffusion-oriented approach to programming. This
period has been described as one of innovation and has been marked by very substantial
increases in R&D spending by both the public and private sectors and by attempts to
improve knowledge flows and technology transfer across the system. Demand-side
policies have emerged to complement the traditional supply of innovation inputs, with
attention increasingly paid to issues such as commercialisation of R&D, financing of
innovative firms, and development of innovation intermediaries.
Table 3.1. A stylised history of Korean S&T innovation policies
Imitation y Foundation of KIST (1966), MoST (1967)

1960s y The S&T promotion act (1967)
1970s y Establishment of GRIs (1970s) in the areas of machinery, shipbuilding, chemicals, marine science, electronics
y Tax credit for R&D investment (1974)
y Development of human resources for R&D (KAIST)
Transformation y National R&D programme (NRDP, 1982)
1980s y Establishment of Daedeok Science Town
y Promotion of private firms research: financial and tax incentives to stimulate R&D investments (reduction of
tax for technology-based start-ups (1982); tax credit for technology and manpower development expense)
Innovation y Promotion of university-based research Science Research Centres
1990s onwards y Five-year plan for innovation (1997)
y Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council (1999)
y S&T vision 2025 (1999)
y First National Technology Roadmap (2001)
y New organisation of MoST(2004) Deputy prime minister, establishment of the Office of the Ministry of
Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI)
y Launch of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) (2008)
Source: Based on Hong (2005), Evolution of the Korean National Innovation System: Towards an Integrated Model, in OECD (2005),
Governance of Innovation Systems, Vol. 2, OECD, Paris.

Table 3.2. SWOT analysis of the Korean innovation system
Strengths Opportunities
Strong, mobilising national vision Geopolitical positioning in one of the most dynamic regions
of the world
High growth rates in GDP
Free trade agreements
Strong government support for innovation and R&D
Globalisation, including of R&D
Good and improving framework conditions for innovation
Growing Korean S&T diaspora
High ratio of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) to
business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD) Developments in S&T (technological change), particularly
information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and
Highly educated workforce environmental technology and their possible fusion
Good supply of human resources for science and Growth of China and other newly industrialising economies,
technology (HRST) both in the region and worldwide, offering new markets for
Ready early adopters of new technologies Korean exports
Strong ICT infrastructure

Exceptionally fast followers
Strong and internationally competitive firms
Learning society with a capacity to learn from failures and
international good practices
Capability to produce world-class talents
Weaknesses Threats
Underdeveloped fundamental research capabilities and Low fertility rates and an ageing society
weak research capacity in universities
Arrival of strong new competitors in fields in which Korea
Weak linkages between GRIs and institutions of higher excels, e.g. ICTs, particularly from China
education
Geopolitical developments in the region
In education, rote learning, overemphasis upon university
entrance exam, and crippling cost of private education Disruption in the supply of imported natural resources and
energy upon which the Korean economy is highly
Underutilisation of female labour dependent
Low productivity in the services sector Global economic outlook and its consequences for export-
oriented economies
Relatively weak SME sector
Legacy of dirigisme which hampers the development of a
diffusion-oriented innovation policy
Unbalanced international linkages
Uneven development across regions and sectors
Small domestic market (compared to China, Japan, United
States)
Policy co-ordination problems between ministries

With a broader suite of policies and a mushrooming of schemes and initiatives across
several ministries and agencies, policy co-ordination and coherence have become
challenges, as governments are generally not well organised to deal with cross-cutting
policy issues such as innovation. Policy co-ordination and coherence involve not only co-
ordination of simultaneous policy actions but also an evaluation of their possible
interaction with policies pursuing other primary objectives. It concerns first of all core
innovation policies such as S&T and education, but the impact of a number of other
policies must also be taken into account, e.g. taxation policy, competition laws and
regulations, etc., the so-called framework conditions for innovation. Taken together, these
different areas point to the importance of viewing government intervention in terms of a
policy mix in which many policy areas need to be linked to innovation policy in order to
improve national innovative performance.
3.1.2. Policy challenges

The previous chapters have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the Korean
innovation system, and have addressed some of the opportunities and threats that are
likely to arise in the coming years. These are summarised in Table 3.2. In their own way,
each of the factors identified provides a challenge for policy makers to tackle. For
example, in the case of strengths, how can these be exploited as fully as possible? How
should they be maintained so that they remain strengths? For weaknesses, how can their
effects be reduced and/or eliminated? How might opportunities be seized and threats
minimised? It is beyond the scope of this review to consider each factor systematically.
Instead, some of the main challenges requiring a policy response are introduced in order
to serve as a basis for discussion of more specific policy issues addressed in subsequent
parts of this chapter.
In this regard, it is informative to consider earlier reviews of the Korean innovation
system. For example, the OECD conducted a review of Koreas science and technology
policy in the mid-1990s (OECD, 1996) and identified a number of important issues,
including the need to broaden the technological base; to better manage policy co-
ordination problems between competing ministries; to improve evaluation arrangements;
to boost funding for basic research; to improve support for innovation by small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); to reassess the roles of the GRIs; to roll out
information and communication technologies (ICTs) across Korean society; to enhance
knowledge diffusion and technology transfer; to better focus the R&D efforts of the
chaebol; to reform the education system to give greater attention to creativity; and to
increase international R&D co-operation. In a later review of the innovation system
carried out jointly by the OECD and the World Bank in the wake of the Asian financial
crisis (World Bank, 2000), it was observed that the Korean innovation system remained
largely based upon a catch-up model. The report acknowledged several new government
initiatives which had been put in place to transform Korea into a knowledge-based
economy in the wake of the Asian financial crisis and it recognised that these would take
time to take effect. Nevertheless, several key issues requiring further attention were
highlighted (see Box 3.1).

Box 3.1. Key issues for the Korean innovation system identified by
the World Bank and the OECD in 2000
Encouraging greater interaction among firms, universities, government research programmes and GRIs.
Clearly justifying the rationale for public intervention and providing subsidies in a transparent and non-
discriminatory manner.
Providing support to R&D in large companies on stricter conditions, assisting only when they would not
have undertaken the concerned projects, and stimulating partnership with other actors (enterprises,
university and public laboratories), etc.
Increasing the effort in basic research; this should be performed principally in universities, which should
receive more resources. This also implies changing various forms of regulations and practices that
discourage research activities.
Reorienting the GRIs as their activities tend to duplicate those of industry. The GRIs have to be
repositioned to do more upstream research or to become more focused on research of collective interest
(e.g. health, transport, etc). A larger part of their budget has to be secured in the form of institutional
funding.
Developing better forms of support to innovation in SMEs with emphasis on effective networking and
clustering, and the involvement of local authorities.
Strongly encouraging contacts of all actors with foreign counterparts: exchanges of academics and
research, technological co-operation, industrial joint ventures, participation in international regulatory
bodies, etc.
Enforcing co-ordination procedures involving key ministries.
Implementing evaluation exercises, including an international review of Koreas basic research
capacities.
Source: World Bank (2000), Republic of Korea: Transition to a Knowledge-Based Economy, World Bank, Washington, DC.
Given the time needed for fundamental changes, it should be no surprise that a
number of issues identified in 1996 and 2000 remain on policy agendas today, as earlier
chapters in this review clearly demonstrate. However, there is also a strong suspicion that
certain lock-ins, many of which are legacies of past successes, are obstructing the
change process. These include the still dominant role of the chaebol, despite efforts to
improve the innovation capacity of SMEs; an emphasis on short-term, industrially
oriented research at the expense of longer-term fundamental research; an R&D funding
bias towards ICTs and the physical sciences at the expense of other areas of science,
particularly life sciences; weakly developed research capacity in the universities; lagging
productivity in services; relatively weak internationalisation of the domestic research
system; and under-utilisation of labour resources, particularly women. Other continuing
issues of concern include: a lack of clarity about the roles of the GRIs; the reform of
tertiary education; the role of innovation policy in achieving better balanced regional
development; the ability to incorporate a longer-term perspective in assessing the costs
and benefits of public R&D funding; and the challenge of achieving better co-ordination
of science and innovation policies enacted across various government ministries and
agencies. The policy responses to these and other issues are examined in greater detail in
the sections that follow.

3.2. Policy-making institutions
In most OECD countries, the governance of science, technology and innovation (STI)
is organised around a multi-layered matrix of ministerial bodies, advisory structures and a
range of actors, all concerned with the making and steering of policy and its implementa-
tion. The situation is similar in Korea, which has a rich organisational landscape of
ministries, advisory bodies and executive agencies to formulate, implement and evaluate
STI policy (Figure 3.1). This section briefly describes advisory and co-ordinating bodies
for STI, with more detailed accounts of the main ministries in the area.
Figure 3.1. S&T administrative system in Korea, 2008
Source: MEST (2008), Becoming an S&T Power Nation through the 577 Initiative, Science and Technology Basic Plan of the Lee Myung
Bak Administration, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Seoul.
3.2.1. Advisory and co-ordination bodies

Most ministries with an S&T mandate have appointed their own advisory committees
to help them formulate policy. In addition, the legislature has appointed committees with
a strong interest in S&T and innovation. However, the most prominent advisory and co-
ordination bodies serving the executive branch are the Presidential Advisory Council on
Science & Technology (PACST) and the National Science and Technology Council
(NSTC).
The PACST was established in 1991 under the Constitution to advise the president on
S&T policy and developments. Its main objectives are to develop strategic policies
related to technological innovation and development of human resources; to provide
guidelines for system reforms to the ministries related to S&T as well as the president;
and to undertake special tasks. PACST is composed of 30 members representing prominent
industries, academia and research institutes. Members are appointed by the president for a
one-year term. The council meets on a monthly basis and reports to the president at least

once every six months. Since most advisory members come from the private sector, the
president and deputy prime minister use the PACST to listen to the voices of the private
sector and diverse S&T communities. The PACST conducts much of its work through a
series of five sub-committees (see Box 3.2), which are in turn supported by expert
committees. A secretariat, composed of more than two dozen officials from several
relevant government ministries and public research institutes, also supports the PACST.
Box 3.2. The five sub-committees of the PACST

Science and Technology Development Strategy Sub-committee: addresses major issues and
the direction of development in the science and technology field.
Basic Technology Sub-committee: nurtures basic science and deals with the development
of breakthrough technologies.
Public Technology Sub-committee: advises on health and medicine, energy, environment,
marine, nuclear and aerospace technologies.
Industrial Technology Sub-committee: advises on industry-related technological
development and the direction of development including information, biotechnology,
machinery, parts, chemical engineering and textiles technologies.
Science and Technology Infrastructure Sub-committee: advises on the direction of
development of the science and technology infrastructure such as human resources,
research facilities, international co-operation and science culture.
The National Science and Technology Council has been the highest decision-making
body of the Korean government on STI issues since the president took the chairmanship
in 1999. Until February 2008, it was composed of 13 ministers with an STI policy remit,
plus nine experts from the S&T community. As a cross-ministerial body, the NSTC has
played a pivotal role in policy co-ordination among its member ministries. During the
1980s and 1990s, R&D programmes were established in various ministries which widely
imitated each others programmes to serve their own missions. Despite this compart-
mentalisation, there was much overlap and duplication between ministries programmes
and few co-ordination mechanisms at a higher level to give coherence to the policy
system. This failure of co-ordination was the main rationale for strengthening the NSTCs
role in 1999.
Until its abolition in 2008, MoST provided the secretariat for the NSTC, setting its
agenda and providing supporting documents. A dedicated arm of MoST, the semi-
autonomous Office of Science and Technology Innovation (OSTI), was created in 2004
specifically to fulfil this function, though this too was abolished in 2008 along with
MoST. The newly formed MEST now fulfils this secretariat function without the
assistance of any other entity. At the same time, as Figure 3.2 shows, the NSTC is
supported by five expert committees on: key industrial technologies; large-scale technolo-
gies; state-led technologies; cutting-edge converging and interdisciplinary technologies;
and infrastructure technologies.

Figure 3.2. New administrative arrangements for the NSTC

National Science and Technology Council
Chair: President
Vice-chair: Minister of Education, Science and Technology
Secretary: Presidential Secretary for

Education, Science and Culture
Steering Committee
Chair: Presidential Secretary for
Education, Science and Culture)
Committee Committee Committee Committee on Committee

on key on on cutting-edge, on
industrial large-scale state-led converging and infrastructure
interdisciplinary
technologies technologies technologies technologies
technologies
3.2.2. STI ministries

Table 3.3 lists the main ministries and research funding agencies and their respective
R&D budgets for the period 2003-05. During this time, there were four main players
(defence-related spending is excluded): the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST)
and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MoCIE) with very similar levels of
funding; the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MoE) with less
than half the spending of MoST; and the Ministry of Information and Communications
(MIC) with about one-third of the spending of MoST. As Table 3.3 shows, R&D budgets
in MoST, MoCIE and MoE grew substantially over this short period, reflecting both the
Korean governments commitment to raise spending on public research and its efforts to
concentrate R&D funding in fewer agencies.
Since February 2008, MoST and MoE have been merged to form the Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology (MEST), and MoCIE and MIC have come together
in the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE).1 This consolidation was initiated by the
new president as part of an overall drive to reduce the size of government and to cut the
number of ministries in the executive branch. As such, it has had little to do with
perceived problems in the operation or performance of these ministries. That being said, a
long history of rivalry among these ministries has sometimes been unhelpful to Koreas
drive to improve its S&T and innovation performance. Consolidation of rivals into new
entities could reduce this rivalry and lead to enhanced co-operation on policies targeted at
the innovation system. This potential is further discussed in section 3.3.
Since the operational details of the new ministries are still being worked out at the
time of writing, the descriptions that follow include brief accounts of MoST and MoE, as
well as MEST and MKE. This may help give a better appreciation of some of the many
issues at play in trying to co-ordinate STI policy in Korea.

Table 3.3. R&D budgets of former major ministries

KRW 100 million and percentages
Ministries Funding agents 2003 % 2004 % 2005 %

MoST KOSEF KISTEP 12 830 19.7 16 905 23.9 19 549 25.1
MoCIE KOTEF ITEP 11 533 17.7 16 403 23.2 18 393 23.6
MIC IITA 5 991 9.2 6 996 9.9 6 968 8.9
MND ADD 117 0.2 2 931 4.1 9 112 11.7
ME KIEST 1 074 1.6 1 301 1.8 1 365 1.8
MoHW KHIDI 1 318 2.0 1 544 2.2 1 663 2.1
MAF ARPC 602 0.9 674 1.0 622 0.8
MoCT KICTEP 768 1.2 916 1.3 1 506 1.9
MoMAF KIMST 1 081 1.7 1 086 1.5 1 405 1.8
MoE KRF 3 340 5.1 5 278 7.5 8 209 10.5
Others 26 500 40.7 16 793 23.8 9 204 11.8
Total 65 154 100.0 70 827 100.0 77 996 100.0
Source: NSTC (2006), Survey and Analysis Report on 2006 National R&D Projects, National Science and Technology Council, Seoul.
3.2.3. Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST)

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) was, until its abolition in February
2008, the most important ministry for STI policy making in Korea, in terms both of
budget size and mandate. It was responsible for providing central direction, planning, co-
ordination and evaluation of all S&T activities in Korea, as well as the formulation of
S&T policies, programmes and projects (including technology co-operation, space
technology and atomic energy) in support of national development priorities. Accordingly,
its functions were to:
formulate policies for S&T development.
formulate policies for R&D investment, human resources development, S&T
information, and international S&T co-operation.
support basic and applied research conducted by GRIs, universities and private
research institutes.
plan, promote and support the development of core, future-oriented S&T and
large-scale technology.
attain technological self-reliance and the safe use of nuclear technology.
promote public awareness of S&T.
Over the years, MoST grew in importance as Korea moved towards high-technology
industries as its motor for growth, and its mandate enlarged from a focus solely on S&T
to one that also included innovation. At the same time, many other ministries started their
own research programmes. This created a need for better co-ordination of this distributed
effort, which MoST was called upon to perform. In 2004, the previous government made
the following changes to MoST:

The Minister of Science and Technology was promoted to deputy prime minister
status and became vice chairman of the NSTC.
The Office of Science and Technology Innovation was formed within MoST to
facilitate inter-ministerial co-ordination on STI. The STI policies and programmes
of the different ministries were reported to and evaluated and co-ordinated by
OSTI in the name of the NSTC.
To enhance its role as honest broker, most of MoSTs R&D programmes on
applied technologies were transferred to other relevant ministries. Under these
arrangements, MoST only dealt with the implementation of R&D programmes
associated with basic science, purposive basic research and large-scale composite
technologies.
The NSTC was given the authority to reallocate government R&D budgets to S&T
programmes and projects after the Ministry of Planning and Budget (MPB) had
allocated its R&D budgets to the various ministries.
The effectiveness of these co-ordination arrangements is reviewed in section 3.3.
3.2.4. Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MoE)

Until its abolition in 2008, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Development (MoE) was responsible for planning and co-ordinating educational policies,
formulating policies that govern the primary, secondary and higher education institutions,
approving and publishing textbooks, providing administrative and financial support for all
levels of the school system, supporting local education offices and national universities,
operating the teacher training system, overseeing lifelong education, and developing
human resource policies. In a move similar to that at MoST, the Minister for Education
and Human Resources Development assumed (in 2001) the position of deputy prime
minister to oversee and co-ordinate tasks and ministries related to human resources
development policies, at the direction of the prime minister.
3.2.5. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST)

Launched in February 2008, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
(MEST) was created through a merger of the former MoST and MoE. However, in line
with its roots, MEST has two wings, one dedicated to the education system and the
other to science and technology, each headed by a different vice minister. This alignment
is not complete, as the part of MoE that dealt with academic research policy is located in
the science and technology wing along with the former MoST divisions. Each wing is
divided into several offices or bureaus, which are, in turn, divided into several divisions:
Education: Office of Human Resources Policy (including about a dozen divisions,
dedicated to areas such as human resources for S&T, manpower supply and
demand statistics, etc.); Lifelong and Vocational Education Bureau; School Policy
Bureau; and Educational Welfare Support Bureau.
Science and Technology: Office of Science and Technology Policy (including
about a dozen divisions divided between the S&T Policy Planning Bureau, the
S&T Policy Co-ordination Bureau, and the Big Science Support Bureau); Office of
Academic Research Policy (again including around a dozen divisions organised
under the Basic Research Policy Bureau, the Academic Research Support Bureau,

and the University and Research Institute Support Bureau); the International Co-
operation Bureau; and the Atomic Energy Bureau.
3.2.6. Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE)

Launched in February 2008, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) was
created through a merger of the former MoCIE and MIC, and some elements of MoST
were also incorporated. The mandate of MKE is as follows:2
to expand co-operation and trade with other countries and promote Korean exports.
to attract foreign investment.
to promote energy conservation and energy security, develop an effective response
to climate change, encourage the development of alternative energy sources, and
support resource development projects at home and abroad.
to make Koreas energy industry more competitive while securing a stable supply
of resources such as oil, gas, electricity, nuclear power and coal.
to achieve future-oriented industrial development by advancing the distribution
industry and other knowledge-based service industries, and by promoting e-commerce
and informatisation.
to foster the development, transfer and commercialisation of industrial technologies,
as well as industrial standardisation.
to promote the Korean design industry internationally.
to strengthen the competitiveness of key industries such as parts and materials,
automobiles, shipbuilding, machinery, steel, petrochemicals and textiles.
to promote the development and success of new growth engines such as semi-
conductors, information technology, biotechnology and new materials.
More specifically, MKE has put in place strategies to enhance the development and
commercialisation of advanced technologies as part of its industrial policy. These strategies
include:
establishment of an R&D network to advance information sharing and commerciali-
sation.
streamlining of research procedures.
collaboration with universities, companies and institutes conducting R&D.
increase in R&D outsourcing and encouragement of participation of associations
and academic groups in carrying out large-scale R&D projects.
strengthening of global co-operation in joint technology development.
expansion of financial support for developing and commercialising technologies.
enhancement of companies intrinsic ability to innovative.
facilitation of private investment in R&D.

3.3. STI policy and governance
A key challenge for Korea has been to co-ordinate its fast-growing list of policy
measures (and the activities of institutions devoted to delivering such measures). Perhaps
more than most countries, Korea has taken the issue of policy co-ordination seriously and
has in recent years introduced several reforms to improve policy coherence. This section
examines two aspects of this co-ordination: first, the horizontal co-ordination of innova-
tion policies across different ministries; and second, the vertical co-ordination of research
performers, with particular attention to the governance arrangements for the GRIs. This is
followed by a summary of the evaluation arrangements which have been put in place to
augment these and other vertical governance arrangements. The section begins with an
account of the various visions and plans that guide and frame policy intervention and
seem to have a prominent role in the policy system.
3.3.1. Visions, plans and roadmaps: guiding and framing policy intervention
The promulgation of laws and national plans is an important mechanism for directing
and co-ordinating science, technology and innovation in Korea. Moreover, in recent
years, these have been bolstered by the development of national visions and roadmaps, a
reflection perhaps of an evolving multi-actor landscape which makes top-down direction
setting more difficult and thus necessitates the use of complementary system-wide
approaches. At the top level is Vision 2025: Development of Science and Technology,
which was formulated by the PACST in 1999. It proposed the following fundamental
shifts in science and technology policy: i) from a government-led and development-
oriented innovation system to a private industry-led and diffusion-oriented innovation
system; ii) from a closed R&D system to a globally networked R&D system; iii) from a
supply-dominated investment enhancement strategy to an efficient utilisation and
investment-distribution strategy; iv) from a short-term technology-development strategy
to a long-term market-creating innovation strategy; and v) towards establishing a science-
and technology-led national innovation system. The goal of Vision 2025 is for Korea to
become a global leader in specific S&T sectors and employ more than 300 000 R&D
personnel and spend USD 80 billion a year on R&D by 2025.
Based on Vision 2025, the Science and Technology Framework Law of 2001 aimed
to promote S&T more systematically. It includes provisions for the formulation of mid-
and long-term policies and implementation plans, and is the legal basis for inter-
ministerial co-ordination of S&T policies and R&D programmes. It also provides the
overall support mechanism for R&D activities and S&T agencies, and the legal basis for
fostering an innovation-driven culture. Based on the Framework Law, five-year Basic
Plans of Science and Technology (2003-07 and 2008-12) have been formulated. The first
had five policy goals with 14 core strategic targets. The five goals were: to create future
economic growth engines; to build up basic research capabilities; to internationalise and
regionalise S&T; to advance the S&T innovation system; and to improve S&T awareness.
The first priority was the development of future growth engines; the other four goals
addressed perceived deficiencies of the Korean STI system.
In addition to the basic plans, several plans are targeted at specific elements of the
innovation system. These include the Basic Research Promotion Plan (2006-10) as well
as plans for biotechnology, nanotechnology, space technologies and nuclear technologies,
among others. In addition, in mid-2004, the Implementation Plan for the National
Innovation System was launched, with the aim of moving from a catch-up to a creative

innovation system. This reflected the governments view that the Korean economy had
reached technological frontiers in several areas (particularly in the ICT sector) and that
the innovation system needed to be transformed to better incorporate aspects of
innovative and creative technological development. Clearly, governments alone cannot
implement national innovation systems; the form and functioning of the latter tend to
depend upon the actions of and linkages between a constellation of actors, both public
and private. But governments can build new capacities and institutions and can provide
incentives for others to follow. In Korea, the government identified a number of
institutional weaknesses that would militate against the development of a creative innova-
tion system. The catch-up system had centred upon large-scale strategic technology
development with government-affiliated research institutes and large global conglomerates,
the chaebol, taking the leading role. Such an environment was deemed less than
conducive for nurturing innovative start-ups or technology transfer and for building basic
research capabilities. Some 30 strategic measures, organised under five domains, were
therefore identified to remedy inefficient aspects of the Korean national innovation
system and to strengthen the innovation capability of the private sector:
In the area of innovative actors, the plan targeted improvements to the innovative
capabilities of business (including SMEs and innovative start-ups), universities,
and government-affiliated research institutes.
In the area of innovative inputs, the plan emphasised strategic concentration on
future technologies and efficient utilisation of innovative inputs in order to
improve the commercialisation of R&D results. Moreover, it stressed the
development of human resources in certain S&T areas with a view to future
industry demand and expected shifts in market trends.
In the area of technological diffusion, the plan stressed the need to improve
technology evaluation and to further develop venture-capital financing, with a
view to promoting successful commercialisation of technological developments.
In the area of system innovations, the plan targeted industry-academia linkages and
S&T innovation policy co-ordination, with a view to improving the efficiency of
the Korean innovation system.
In the area of institutional infrastructures, the plan emphasised societal and cultural
awareness issues so as to move towards innovation-friendly institutions and
cultures in the Korean innovation system.
In addition, the Korean government has drawn up several R&D roadmaps that further
operationalise some of these plans and that seek to improve the strategic capabilities and
efficiencies of public R&D investments from a longer-term perspective. In an attempt to
consolidate these roadmapping efforts and to give general direction to all medium-term
public research programmes, a single R&D Total Roadmap was formulated in 2006 and
included medium- and long-term R&D strategies (5-15 years) for public R&D investment
portfolios. It provides basic principles and guidelines for: strengthening basic scientific
research capabilities; building competency in areas of technology fusion; supplementing
national R&D infrastructures; identifying national foci of strategic technologies;
advancing the development of strategic technology development projects; and improving
the co-ordination, coherence and alignment of R&D planning and R&D programmes
among diverse governmental ministries and R&D agencies. Each of these areas is further
elaborated in later sections of this chapter.

The latest set of initiatives, announced by the new administration of Lee Myung Bak,
aim for Korea to become one of the worlds S&T powerhouses by 2012. Known as the
577 Initiative, the new plans include several ambitious targets: to reach an R&D
intensity of 5% by 2012 (it stood at 3.23% in 2006); to focus upon seven key areas of
R&D and seven systems; and to become one of the seven major S&T powers in the world
(Figure 3.3). Several elements of this initiative are discussed in later sections of this
chapter.
Figure 3.3. Outline of the 577 Initiative
Input
5% investment Reach 5% of GDP on GERD
Process
R&D system
1. Key industrial technologies 1. World-class human

2. Emerging industrial resources
technologies 2. Basic and fundamental
3. Knowledge-based service research
technologies 3. SME innovation
Seven 4. State-led technologies 4. S&T globalisation
focused 5. National issues-related 5. Regional innovation
areas technologies 6. S&T infrastructure
6. Global issues-related 7. S&T culture
technologies
7. Basic and convergent
technologies
Performance
Become one of seven major S&T powers in the world
3.3.2. Institutionalising horizontal co-ordination

An important challenge for the Korean government has been to improve co-ordination
among the many ministries and agencies with a stake in R&D and, more broadly, in
innovation. This is clearly evident in the prominence given to this issue in the various
plans and roadmaps published by the government. The scale of the task of co-ordination
facing Korea has been complicated by its rich organisational landscape of ministries,
advisory bodies and executive agencies involved in STI policy and programming. In this
regard, it is important to understand the division of labour among the various ministries
that support research. Prior to February 2008, MoST focused on funding universities and
public research institutes associated with basic and applied research, while MoE focused

on supporting R&D activities of universities associated with basic research. At the same
time, MoCIE emphasised support for SMEs associated with developmental research at
the pre-commercial stage, while MIC supported similar initiatives in the ICT industry. In
reality, however, there was some overlap between the targets and types of funding
available so that ministries traditional foci had become somewhat blurred.
This blurring was perhaps exacerbated by the adoption by most of the ministries of an
innovation systems perspective which leads policy makers to look beyond their
immediate area and led to some policy and programme duplication, for example, around
the issues of regionalisation and internationalisation (see below). The political priority
assigned to innovation by the government also resulted in something of a scramble for
new responsibilities among ministries, as symbolised by the dispute concerning which
ministry should lead the governments flagship Next-generation Growth Engines R&D
Programme (see below). According to several analysts (e.g. Hong, 2005), this fierce
competition has tended to work against close co-operation and, ultimately, system
coherence. It is one of the rationales for the recent merger of these four ministries into
two super-ministries, although, as will be argued below, such mergers do not necessarily
solve such co-ordination issues.
These problems are hardly unique to Korea, and all OECD countries must find ways
to manage efficiently the interfaces between different, but related, policy programmes.
Moreover, there are no simple solutions, and countries adopt different co-ordination
arrangements. In principle, the existence of similar sorts of programmes administered by
different ministries and agencies need not be a problem. Indeed, localised knowledge
combined with a degree of autonomy can provide useful flexibility in targeting
programmes appropriately. Problems arise when similar programmes try to target the
same groups or where scale benefits are unnecessarily compromised as a consequence of
bureaucratic competition (thereby leading to allocative inefficiencies). Even when these
are not an issue, arrangements to ensure that different policies and programmes have
overall coherence are important; otherwise there is considerable risk that they may cancel
one another out.
Oversight is therefore required to eliminate unnecessary duplication and enhance the
coherence of a distributed set of policies and programmes. With this in mind, some
countries have created inter-ministerial committees or co-ordinating councils, which often
operate at the top or highest levels of government, to improve the coherence and co-
ordination of their innovation policies. For example, Japan has created a Headquarters for
Innovation Promotion, chaired by the prime minister, to promote measures outlined in its
national strategy, and Finland has had a long-standing S&T Council with a co-ordinating
role.
In a similar vein, Korea created the National Science and Technology Council in
1999. However, after five years of operation, the government decided that insufficient
progress had been made. Accordingly, in 2004, the government announced a radical
shake-up of the STI governance system. Rather than being abolished, the NSTC was
strengthened as part of an overall package to better rationalise and co-ordinate the various
strands of S&T activities. MoST was tasked with facilitating the activities of the
revamped NSTC, though not directly: to avoid accusations of MoST acting as both
player and referee, the Office of Science and Technology Innovation was created
within MoST to support the NSTC and thereby facilitate inter-ministerial co-ordination
on science, technology and innovation. Critically, 40% of OSTI staff were recruited from
other ministries,3 a further 40% from MoST, and the remaining 20% from the S&T

community and the private sector.4 This so-called 4-4-2 formation was intended to free
OSTI from the existing MoST culture and to lead to an active exchange of policy
information and policy learning among S&T ministries. Moreover, as a further
concession to the other main funding ministries, MoST relinquished several of its R&D
funding initiatives, retaining only programmes in basic research and composite
technology, such as space and nuclear technologies.
Box 3.3 describes how these co-ordination arrangements operated. As these were only
initiated in 2004 and were only in operation for around three and a half years, it is
difficult to judge their merits. However, they seem to have had the following benefits:
First, a common forum for agenda setting, prioritisation and implementation of
various ministries STI policies and programmes improved policy co-ordination.
This reduced programme duplication, created greater synergy across the policy
system, and improved policy efficiency. This co-ordination was achieved in part
by policy learning between ministries, which resulted in the mutual adjustment of
STI programme portfolios as ministries sought to avoid duplicating one anothers
initiatives.
Second, science, technology and innovation could speak with a single, powerful
voice through the NSTC/OSTI and the deputy prime minister. Having such
dedicated advocates is likely to have played an important role in securing
significant budget increases for STI from the national budget.
Third, the availability of expertise in OSTI provided for a more informed overview
and a more credible allocation of resources than could be achieved by the Ministry
of Planning and Budget alone. Indeed, ministry and research community
complaints about the previous arrangements often centred on MPBs apparent lack
of expert knowledge to allocate funds rationally, leaving it open to lobbying by
different interests.5 The NSTC/OSTI arrangements reduced this sort of behaviour.
Finally, the wide-ranging strategic intelligence necessary for the systemic co-
ordination of innovation policy was accumulated. Co-ordination requires a broad
overview of policies and programmes, an appreciation of their likely effects and
limitations, and an understanding of their complementarities and conflicts.
Moreover, in an environment of competing demands, sound evidence needs to be
brought to bear to settle disputes. Social scientists played an essential role in
providing the in-depth research needed to support the NSTCs evidence-based co-
ordination. These studies have enhanced knowledge of the Korean innovation
system and provided a sounder basis for evidence-based public policy-making.
Box 3.3. R&D co-ordination by NSTC/OSTI

Co-ordination by NSTC/OSTI worked as follows: funding agencies and public-sector research institutes
(e.g. the GRIs) requested a budget from their host ministries on an annual basis. These requests were
considered by the ministries as they prepared their own budget proposals. Previously, ministerial budget
proposals went straight to the central funding body for government R&D activities in Korea, the Ministry of
Planning and Budget (MPB). However, under the revamped arrangements, budget proposals were first passed
to OSTI for review in the name of the NSTC. OSTI examined ministry plans for programme duplication, in
which case, ministries were requested to reach a compromise before proceeding. To aid this process, the
Minister of Science and Technology with the status of deputy prime minister chaired regular S&T
ministerial meetings to co-ordinate policies. After OSTI confirmed or adjusted budget proposals, ministries
then sent them to the MPB, and the latter finally decided the R&D budget size of each ministry through the
examination process of the National Assembly.

At the same time, a number of challenges and limitations remained:

First, existing programmes and laws were designed to achieve goals set by individual
ministries. Although the new governance arrangements emphasised co-ordination
of policies and collaborative work among ministries for future innovation policies,
policy makers were still likely to work towards achieving the goals of their ministries
alone.
Second, although the new governance arrangements promoted a more collaborative
culture and behaviour, ministries still continued to guard the autonomy of their R&D
programmes against perceived outside interference.6 Furthermore, ministries continued
to compete, in one way or another, to have early ownership of fashionable policy
concepts so as to enlarge their mandate and resources and continued to develop
and implement various (sometimes overlapping) policy initiatives (Seong and
Song, 2007).
Third, with budget ceilings for each ministry still ultimately controlled by the
MPB, the scope of NSTC/OSTIs co-ordinating role was constrained by the fact
that it did not allocate budgets to the various ministries. This meant that OSTI was
unable to move resources between ministries to improve strategic co-ordination.
Fourth, for such arrangements to work, it was essential for the co-ordinating
body in this case, NSTC/OSTI (and by extension, MoST) to have sufficient
authority, credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of the various ministries to perform
such a function. This was attempted through a political solution, i.e. by making the
Minister of Science and Technology a deputy prime minister. It is doubtful
whether this had the desired effect, since other ministries perceived NSTC/OSTI to
be weak in comparison to the MPB and its predecessors, which had had de facto
responsibility for co-ordination through their budgetary powers.
Finally, intra-governmental co-ordinating agencies that lie outside of the main
mission-oriented ministries often face problems of labour mobility on account of
civil service career structures. OSTI faced the same issue, with concerns that the
novel staff rotation arrangements would prove to be unsustainable in the long run.
Moreover, from a Korean point of view, the two-to-three year contracts offered by
OSTI were considered unstable in terms of job security. This raised concerns that
OSTI would be unable to continue to recruit competent experts from the science
and technology community.
Such challenges may have been met to some extent with the passage of time. But the
new Korean government has preferred to abolish the system in a drive for smaller
government and to deal with co-ordination failures, at least in part, through ministry
mergers. Such mergers are hardly unprecedented, with many other countries co-locating
S&T with industry or education. However, evidence from these countries suggests that
this is not without new challenges. First, where S&T is co-located with mainstream
education policy, it tends to be crowded out. For this reason, recent combinations of
education and S&T, for example, in Spain and the United Kingdom, have been careful to
merge S&T only with higher education under the responsibility of a single ministry or
department. Second, when such mergers are used simply to conceal co-ordination
problems without addressing their root causes, they tend to fail, leaving departmental
factions fighting for supremacy.

Although it is too early to pass judgment on the ministerial mergers, certain legitimate
concerns deserve attention. First, the creation of MEST sees S&T housed in the same
ministry as mainstream education, which, as noted above, risks crowding it out. This
prospect might not be very serious in Korea, which continues to place S&T at the heart of
its development strategy as evidenced by the ambitious 577 Initiative. However, it is a
risk that should continue to be monitored. Second, the organisational structure of MEST
gives the ministry two distinct wings one focused upon education and the other on
S&T. It appears at least on the surface that little integration of the two has really
occurred. On the other hand, with the planned merger of the main funding agencies under
MoST and MoE, respectively KOSEF and KRF, there is the potential for better alignment
of strategies and initiatives. Furthermore, some degree of continuity with previous
institutional arrangements is probably necessary to ensure consistency and stability. The
government will nonetheless need to pay close attention to the operation of MEST to
minimise the scope for factional infighting and to exploit the complementarities that
undoubtedly exist between the two wings of the ministry.
Third, in the case of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy the other super-ministry
created by the new administration there is concern among those who formerly dealt
with the MIC that their interests will not be adequately represented under the new
arrangements. Their concern relates to the special attention given to the ICT industry in
recent decades and the fear that the new institutional arrangements represent a weakening
of government support for a key Korean industry. While this review argues that Korea
needs to broaden its S&T base, it also acknowledges that specialist knowledge and
capabilities have been accumulated in the ICT sector and that these will continue to
require nurturing. Furthermore, ICTs are in some ways exceptional in that they represent
a pervasive technological paradigm which enables many developments in other
technological fields. The Korean government seems to recognise this, as MKE continues
to give strong support to the ICT sector, in addition to the support available through
MESTs 577 Initiative.
More broadly, the issues of system coherence and of co-ordination among the
ministries that remain and particularly between MEST and MKE will continue to be
important. A related issue concerns the new arrangements for allocation of resources.
With the abolition of OSTI, MEST no longer has the influence it once had in this area.
The successor ministry to the MPB the Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MoSF) is
solely responsible for resource allocation. This looks like a backward move and the
MoSF risks lacking sufficient expert knowledge to allocate funds rationally, thereby
leaving it open to lobbying by different interests. This tendency might be reduced if
MEST provided secretarial support to the NSTC and might result in a situation that is
essentially little different from the preceding one.
3.3.3. The role and governance of the government research institutes

Co-ordination and coherence are also concerns from a vertical perspective, as
ministries seek to align the activities and performance of lower-level actors with their
policies. Indeed, co-ordination capacity is cumulative in the sense that higher-level co-
ordination functions depend on the existence and reliability of lower-level ones. As the
activities of research performers, such as universities and public research organisations
(PROs), should contribute to the overall coherence of the innovation system, this has
implications for the way they are managed and governed.

Chapter 2 has described the continuing debate on the role(s) of the GRIs in the
national innovation system. In interviews carried out by the OECD review team, as well
as in the Korean science policy literature, alternative future roles have been proposed,
including the following (somewhat overlapping) options:
Servicing SMEs. Korea is often compared to Chinese Taipei, where PROs have
played important roles in the development of technologically strong and innovative
SMEs. A similar role is often proposed for the GRIs. But the situation in Korea is
very different, with relatively weak SMEs that are mostly unfit for the sorts of
research collaboration that would interest most GRIs, although this picture might
now be changing owing to the recent growth of high-technology start-ups.
Moving away from industrially oriented R&D towards public and welfare research.
With the chaebol largely self-sufficient in terms of R&D, and doubts about
whether the GRIs should be involved in developing commercial technologies or
collaborating with SMEs, the GRIs might be better off leading a shift towards
more public and welfare-oriented R&D around important national challenges (see
Box 3.4). In fact, several institutes already have an explicit public-welfare focus,
but others might seek to reorient their research portfolios in similar directions.
Concentrating on platform technologies. If the GRIs are still to contribute to
industrial innovation, they should focus upon pre-competitive, so-called platform
technologies. Several institutes are already working on such technologies, often in
co-operation with industry, but this could be further expanded and become the
main rationale for several institutes.
Leading Koreas shift to more fundamental research. The GRIs have facilities
superior to those of universities and greater research experience, which makes
them obvious candidates to lead Koreas shift towards more fundamental research.
However, recent relative declines in basic research, together with the governments
intent to strengthen research in universities, are likely to undermine the GRIs
claim to this role. Moreover, if the GRIs are to conduct more fundamental
research, the current project-based system (PBS) would need to be revised, since it
has been detrimental to the stability necessary for fundamental research (many
projects are mission-oriented and relatively short-term).
Working in areas of interdisciplinary and fusion research. Disciplinary structures
in universities are known to inhibit interdisciplinary work, while the scale require-
ments of fusion research often require dedicated research centres and research
infrastructures that are not commonly found in Korean universities. The GRIs
could occupy this territory, but would themselves need to break down cultural and
epistemic barriers between institutions.

Box 3.4. Grand challenges in the European Union context

While there is a pressing need to improve the effectiveness of the public research system, the ultimate
justification of the resources and commitment needed to achieve this lies in increasing the value of the
contribution that public- and private-sector research makes, and is seen to make, to Europes economic, social
and environmental goals. The central means to achieve this is to engage the research system in Europes
response to a series of grand challenges which depend upon research but which also involve actions to
ensure innovation and the development of markets and/or public service environments. The challenges may be
rooted in economic, social or scientific goals but share a need to demonstrate their relevance at the European
level, their feasibility in terms of Europes capability to engage with them, and a clear research dimension
such that they gain the commitment of the research community and pull-through the necessary improvements
in its efficiency and effectiveness.
Source: European Commission (2008), Challenging Europes Research: Rationales for the European Research Area (ERA), Report of the
ERA Expert Group, Directorate-General for Research, EUR 23326 EN, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities,
Luxembourg.
Different options for the institutionalisation of the GRIs are also regularly discussed.
These range from merging and breaking up institutes to revising their ministerial
location options that have been used many times in the past. More radical proposals are
also sometimes discussed, including privatisation and mergers with universities. GRIs of
course vary widely; they have different types of organisation and face different issues
which require different policy responses. The government should be sensitive to this
differentiation when formulating policy vis--vis the GRIs and should consider the future
of each institute on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, the GRIs should be expected to
play a number of roles and no institute should be pigeon-holed into performing a single
function, even if this gives the appearance of administrative untidiness.
As for the governance of the GRIs, an additional institutional layer was established in
the late 1990s between the ministries and their funding agencies and the GRIs in the
shape of five research councils. Inspired by similar structures in the United Kingdom and
Germany, the rationale for the research councils was to give the GRIs a certain degree of
autonomy from political interference by supervisory ministries, in the hope that this
would enhance their R&D performance and efficiency. However, in contrast to their
European counterparts, Korean research councils have no funding power and have only
an administrative relationship with the GRIs.
The research councils were originally placed under the Prime Ministers Office, but
those specifically dedicated to S&T, i.e. the Korea Research Council of Fundamental
Sciences & Technology (KRCF), the Korea Research Council for Industrial Science &
Technology (KOCI), and the Korea Research Council of Public Science & Technology
(KORP), were transferred to MoST as part of the 2004 reform package to enhance the
latters co-ordinating position. The other two research councils, which were dedicated to
the social sciences and humanities, were merged into the single National Research
Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Science (NRCS) and remained under the
supervision of the Prime Ministers Office.
The research councils are quite similar in terms of function, internal governance and
number of staff. Each has a Board of Trustees composed of vice ministers from relevant
ministries, and experts invited from universities, private firms, GRIs and the mass media.
Research councils appoint the presidents of the GRIs and operate planning and evaluation
committees. They also operate management advisory committees and have small
secretariats that carry out policy research, planning and evaluation. Each function has few

administrative staff. The GRIs report their research and management plans to their
research councils annually. In recent years, the results of the evaluation by an appointed
expert committee have exerted significant influence on the budget allocation to the GRIs
by the Ministry of Planning and Budget.
On the positive side, the research council system has secured a more autonomous
research environment for the GRIs, as intended. The research councils have also been
able to carry much of the bureaucratic load associated with liaising with ministries and
the National Assembly, thereby allowing GRIs to get on with their R&D work.
Furthermore, the evaluation committees of each research council have included an
examination of the organisational structure of the GRIs and their operations every year.
This has allowed them to guide GRIs in their management reform activities.
However, some issues need to be resolved:
First, since the research councils lack the financial capacity to support GRIs,
regular evaluations and requests to provide management information are often
regarded by GRIs as interference by a higher administration body. Some GRIs also
find yearly evaluations unnecessary and the source of a heavy burden of
administrative work and they criticise the standardised evaluation criteria used as
failing to take sufficient account of the differences between institutes (see below).
Second, the names of the research councils referring to fundamental, industrial
and public S&T do not necessarily reflect the orientation of the GRIs assigned to
them, as the GRIs typically conduct a broad array of R&D. Indeed, to an outsider,
the allocation of GRIs to the research councils seems somewhat arbitrary. By
contrast, in other countries, structures like the research councils are often
discipline-based.
Third, even though the research councils are not discipline-based, a certain rigidity
acts as a barrier to interdisciplinary research co-operation by GRIs located in
different research councils.
Finally, each research council has a very small administrative staff, and therefore
little capacity and few capabilities. If the roles of the research councils do not
increase markedly, it might be better to amalgamate them to create a single
organisation with greater critical mass. In fact, given that standardised evaluation
arrangements are used and evaluation is perhaps the research councils main role
at present such amalgamation would create relatively little disruption for the
GRIs and would achieve scale efficiencies. It could also promote greater
interdisciplinary research co-operation.
At the time of writing, some reforms of the research councils have been announced by
the new administration. The main change is a reduction in number of research councils
from five to three, with two remaining in the S&T area: the Research Council for
Fundamental S&T under the supervision of MEST and the Research Council for Industrial
S&T under the supervision of MKE. Both research councils supervise 13 GRIs each.
Whether these new institutions will play an enhanced role in steering the GRIs is unclear.

Box 3.5. The main providers of STI strategic intelligence

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP) is the main STI
planning agency in Korea, and supports MoST (and its successor, MEST) in its policy planning and co-
ordination efforts. Its specific functions are: to formulate, co-ordinate and support major S&T policies,
including forecasting S&T development trends; to analyse and evaluate S&T-related programmes
implemented by all government ministries while providing support for co-ordinating and distributing R&D
budgets; to conduct research into domestic and overseas research planning, evaluation and management
systems; and to disseminate R&D policy information and data.
The Institute for Industrial Technology Evaluation and Planning (ITEP) operated under the
supervision of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MoCIE) before the latters dissolution in
2008. It now operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE). ITEP is
dedicated to the evaluation and management of national industrial technology R&D programmes, to
undertaking technology demand surveys and technology forecasting, technology diffusion and technology
transfer promotion, and to the evaluation and promotion of industrial technology, particularly to SMEs.
The Institute for Information Technology Advancement (IITA) operated under the supervision of the
Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) before the latters dissolution in 2008. It now operates
under the supervision of the MKE. The purpose of IITA is to provide strategic intelligence on the ICT sector.
Its areas of focus include R&D demand research and technology forecasting; technology assessment; project
management; funds management; human resources development; technology policy research; information
analysis and service; and promotion of technology transfer.
The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) operates under the supervision of the National
Research Council for Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences (NRCS), which oversees several research
institutes in the fields of economics, humanities and social studies, and reports directly to the Prime Minister's
Office. The role of STEPI is to conduct research and analysis on issues relating to science, technology and
innovation; to provide government agencies with policy ideas and suggestions for the promotion of
innovation; to suggest strategic options for technological development by the public and private sectors; and
to create and disseminate S&T policy information and data. It operates through three research centres (Centre
for Techno-economic Research; Centre for Innovation Policy; and Centre for Techno-management Research)
and three research groups (Futures Studies Group; Human Resources Policy Research Group; and
International S&T Policy Research Group).
Source: Various brochures and websites of agencies concerned.
3.3.4. Evaluation of public R&D programmes

The evaluation of public R&D programmes only began during the 1990s, when the
various ministries with extensive R&D programmes (essentially, MoST, MoCIE and
MIC) established agencies (see Box 3.5) with R&D planning and evaluation capabilities
(Lee et al., 1996). According to Oh and Cervantes (2007), the Korean system of evaluation
is centralised, but also has strong decentralised features. Each ministry and organisation is
responsible for evaluating its own initiatives and programmes through an internal or self-
evaluation. The results must be shared with interested external parties, such as the
president, the National Assembly, the MPB and the general public. In addition to setting
evaluation policy, the National Science and Technology Council contributes to the
programme evaluation function by establishing standards for evaluation, providing
technical advice, ensuring the availability of training for stakeholders, monitoring the
quality of the evaluations conducted by ministries and agencies, and leading centrally
requested evaluation projects.

In 2006, the Korean government introduced a new evaluation system for R&D.
Known as the National Evaluation System (NES) of R&D, it has three components: self-
evaluation by each ministry, and meta-evaluation and focused evaluation by the NSTC.
The objective is to ensure the accountability of each ministry and to monitor its
performance. The generation of information to inform NSTCs co-ordinating role is also
important. While the new arrangements are an improvement on the previous ones, Oh and
Cervantes (2007) report several continuing problems, including the lack of a long-term
perspective on account of the close linkage of evaluation to annual budgeting cycles;
insufficient feedback to those evaluated, thereby undermining the learning potential of
evaluation; under-developed methodology with heavy reliance upon peer review and
expert panel review; and the lack of a cadre of R&D evaluation specialists who could
further professionalise the activity. Moreover, the frequency of evaluation and the use of
a standard set of indicators have been criticised. The new government has responded to
some of these criticisms, for example, by reducing the frequency of evaluation o from
each year to every three years.
3.4. Research funding
The Korean National R&D Programme (NRDP) was initiated by MoST in 1982 with
the aim of developing technology to enhance industrial competitiveness. The NRDP was
closely related to the development of the GRIs, which were intended to focus on research
areas that would not be pursued by the private sector alone. A number of other national
R&D programmes soon followed, including the Industrial Generic Technology Develop-
ment Programme of MoCIE in 1987, the Alternative Energy Development Programmes
of the Ministry of Power and Resources in 1988, the IT R&D Programme, the Energy
Saving Technology Development Project, and the cross-departmental G7 Project
(Leading Technology Development Programme, the so-called Han Project) in 1992.
Today, most departments have their own R&D programmes, and government
expenditure continues to soar. Indeed, the government has increased its spending on R&D
at an even higher rate than the business sector and at more than twice the OECD average
(Table 3.4). Moreover, the new administration has set a very ambitious mid-term target of
achieving an R&D intensity of 5% by 2012. In the meantime, the programmes and their
targets have naturally broadened. Analysts in KISTEP have divided Korean R&D
programmes into four broad groups based on economic and social perspectives (Oh and
Kim, 2006). These are further classified into 15 sub-groups for practical overall co-
ordination procedures (see Table 3.5). At the same time, several ministries have
established their own funding agencies for financing and managing their R&D projects.
The main agencies are briefly summarised in Box 3.6.

Table 3.4. Change in government R&D budgets:

Average annual growth rate of GBAORD, 2000-06 or closest available years
In constant PPP USD
Country GBAORD
Korea 9.5
Sweden 6.2
United States 5.7
OECD 3.9
United Kingdom 3.8
Finland 3.5
Japan 2.7
EU27 1.8
Germany 0.3
France -1.1
GBAORD = gross budget appropriations or outlays on R&D.
Table 3.5. Classification of R&D programmes in Korea
Major classifications 15 sub-groups

R&D programmes for basic, public and welfare technology Generic and basic technology
Public technology
Welfare technology
R&D programmes for industrial technology Short-term industrial technology
Mid- and long-term industrial technology
R&D infrastructure International co-operation
Development of human resources
Regional R&D centres of excellence
R&D facilities and equipments
Support for public research institutes National laboratories (three sub-groups)
Government-supported research institutes for basic technology
Government-supported research institutes for industrial technology
Government-supported research institutes for public technology
Source: Oh and Kim (2006), Overall Coordination of Government-Funded Research and Development Programs in Korea, Journal of
Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation, Vol. 3, No. 5.

Box 3.6. Main Korean research funding agencies

Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF). Established in 1977 by MoST, KOSEF has been an important
bridging institute between the government, public R&D institutes, universities and some private firms. The main functions
of KOSEF are to support research activities in the areas of science and technology, to foster research personnel, to
enhance and develop science and technology education, to contribute to domestic and international scientific activities,
and to increase international exchanges of science and technology. KOSEF is located in Daedeok Science Town with its
clusters of many public R&D institutes and universities.
Korea Industrial Technology Foundation (KOTEF). KOTEF was established by MoCIE in 2001 and is similar to
KOSEF, but focuses on the promotion of industrial technology. Its main functions include nurturing industry-academia co-
operation in research and innovation (e.g. through the funding of industry-academia co-operation centres in universities,
improving corporate technology management, especially in SMEs, through education); promoting a technology-oriented
culture (e.g. through award schemes and festivals); fostering development of human resources (e.g. through revamping
engineering education, supporting SMEs employment of masters and PhD graduates, fostering development of human
resources for regional innovation); promoting international co-operation (e.g. through the activities of the Korea Global
Innovation Network [K-GIN] Programme, various bilateral co-operation agreements, international human resource
exchange programmes); and supporting Korean technology policy (e.g. through research and statistical analysis, trend and
competitor analysis, technology roadmapping).
Korea Research Foundation (KRF). Founded in 1981, the KRF focuses on promoting and supporting academic
activities and on upgrading research quality through its support of academic research foundations and new researchers.
Overseen by MoE until recently, the KRF implements programmes to support research activities, executes and manages
academic research funds, provides subsidies for operating academic research organisations, supports domestic/
international academic exchanges, supplies facilities and accommodation for academic activities, provides scholarships or
loans for education, conducts surveys and analyses/evaluation, and collects statistics on support and management of
research conducted in universities.
Source: Various brochures and websites of agencies concerned.
While the KISTEP classification of R&D programmes is useful, it will not be used to
structure the analysis that follows. Instead, this section begins with a discussion of the
governments continuing drive to increase the proportion of fundamental research carried
out and describes some of the main programmes. It is followed by an account of
industrial technology development programmes which still account for the majority of
government spending on R&D. A continuing concern in the Korean economy is the need
to diversify beyond a few key sectors. With this in mind, programmes for diversifying the
research base for example, in biotechnology and services science are considered. A
discussion of research infrastructure funding in the universities and GRIs then precedes
consideration of new proposals to establish an International Science and Business Belt
(ISBB).
3.4.1. Moving towards more fundamental research

As Korea moves towards knowledge frontiers, the public sector should perform a
more prominent system-anchoring role by increasing spending on fundamental research
that firms are unlikely to fund themselves. This is something the government recognises,
and the Total R&D Roadmap aims to strengthen basic scientific research capabilities to
provide the foundations of new high-technology and science-based industries. This
emphasis has been maintained in the new 577 Initiative. However, until recently, the
public R&D funding system has been more inclined to provide funds for technological
development in business and the GRIs than to fund fundamental scientific research, for
example, in universities. The proportion of R&D spending on basic research has therefore
been low compared to leading OECD countries.7 As Figure 3.4 shows, Korea has the
largest proportion of economic development programmes within its civil gross budget

appropriations or outlays on R&D (GBAORD) in the OECD area, a pattern of funding

that reflects the legacy of the catch-up nature of Korean economic development. Shifting
away from this is proving challenging; data highlighted in Chapter 2 showed a continuing
fall in basic research performed in the GRIs and universities and their turn to more
experimental development work.
Figure 3.4. Economic development programmes as a percentage of civil GBAORD (2006)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
%
Notes: 2005 instead of 2006 for Hungary. 2001 for the Russian Federation.
An important question remains over whether Korea has sufficient capabilities to shift
the research system to more fundamental research and whether the right incentives are in
place. Researchers with doctorates are concentrated in the universities, yet most
fundamental research is currently being conducted elsewhere. In fact, Korean university
researchers complain that the funding system is biased against them, as it favours larger
(often mission-oriented) projects that require the construction of large collaborative
teams. University professors feel that this places them at a disadvantage vis--vis the
GRIs. There have therefore been calls for more individual researcher grants, which are
better suited to the single researcher or small research group. MEST has heeded these
calls and has earmarked some KRW 500 billion for promoting grassroots efforts in basic
research in 2009, an increase of 37% from 2008. At the same time, 7 000 individual or
small-group researchers will be granted research fees during 2009, and an expanded
KRW 255 billion will be invested in the general researcher support project. The latter will
place particular emphasis on facilitating basic R&D activities by young university
faculty, general professors, female professors and faculty at local universities. On a
longer-term basis, the 577 Initiative commits the government to expanding its investment
in basic research to 50% of the public R&D budget by 2012, up from around 25% in
2007, a very ambitious target by any standard. To reach this goal several sub-targets have
been set, including:

Expanding research grants for individual investigators (including small groups)

from KRW 368 billion in 2008 to KRW 1.5 trillion in 2012.
Increasing the ratio of university professors in S&T fields receiving basic research
grants from around 25% in 2006 to 60% in 2012.
Increasing the ratio of young researchers in their 20s-30s receiving basic research
grants from around 18% in 2006 to 25% in 2012.
Expanding support for basic research in GRIs.
Expanding research support for high-risk high-return projects.
These investments are to be welcomed, though it will be important for the Korean
government not to equate basic research with curiosity-driven basic research alone. While
the latter has an important role to play and has been largely neglected in Korea so is in
need of strengthening it is also wise to remember that in OECD countries most
fundamental research is carried out in the context of strategic missions. In many
instances, ex ante assessments of mission contributions should therefore be possible, even
if there are difficulties in measuring such contributions ex post. This points to the need for
appropriate expectations regarding the contributions of fundamental research. In this
regard, the development of embodied skills and understanding from fundamental research
tends to have a more significant and lasting impact than the generation of codified results.
Acknowledging this has consequences for the way fundamental research is evaluated and
ultimately governed, since many of the returns to investment are unlikely to be immediate
and can thus create attribution problems. Understanding these benefits of fundamental
research also highlights the need to put in place policies and programmes that will
facilitate the flow of skills and knowledge throughout the innovation system, and to avoid
a situation in which universities are ivory towers disconnected from the rest of the
system.
3.4.2. R&D programmes targeted at industrial technology

Figure 3.4 shows the dominance of economic development programmes in the
Korean governments spending on R&D. Much of the funding comes from MKE and, to
a lesser extent, MEST, and is largely channelled through public-private collaborative
research projects (see below). Because of this approach, the Korean governments
funding of business enterprise expenditures on R&D (BERD) falls in the mid-range of
OECD countries and is roughly on a par with that of Germany (Figure 3.5). Governments
in the United States, France and the United Kingdom fund proportionally more BERD
than the Korean government, but this is on account of their high defence R&D spending.
In fact, with the exception of these three countries, most OECD countries whose
governments contribute a higher proportion of BERD than Korea would seem to be trying
to address a market failure, with their business communities spending relatively less on
R&D than the OECD average. Clearly, this is not the case in Korea, at least not at the
aggregate level, as private-sector R&D spending accounts for one of the highest
proportions of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) in the OECD area. At the
same time, the majority of countries in which government funding accounts for a smaller
share of BERD have a high BERD/GERD ratio, which suggests they may see less need to
subsidise business R&D. This would certainly seem to be the case in Japan and many of
the Scandinavian countries. The question, therefore, is whether the Korean government
needs to continue funding BERD at the current rate. Given that much government
funding of BERD is now directed at SMEs, the answer may well be yes, especially given

the traditional weaknesses associated with small firms in the Korean industrial landscape.
Indeed, data for 2005 show that the average R&D subsidy for SMEs amounts to 44% of
their total R&D expenditure, an indication of their heavy dependence on government
funding.
Figure 3.5. Government-financed R&D in business, as a percentage of BERD (2006)
25
20
15
10
Notes: 2005 instead of 2006 for Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal and Sweden. 2004 for Switzerland.
2003 for the Netherlands.
Public R&D programmes in support of industrial technological development have

tended to evolve in line with industrial demand or the strategic R&D direction of
government. Thus, public R&D programmes traditionally targeted mostly large-scale
industrial technology, with the intention of supporting near-immediate industrial
development by the chaebol. Since the 1990s, however, many public R&D programmes
have taken a longer-term view which takes account of future strategic technology needs
and developments. This has led to a focus on core source technology development. More
recently, with Korea reaching technological frontiers, industrial technology programmes
have incorporated more basic scientific research. Greater attention is also being given to
support for R&D commercialisation and for technological developments in SMEs.
As mentioned, MKE has the largest support measures for industrial technology
development including sectoral technology programmes to support flagship industries
(Table 3.6). Its predecessor, MoCIE, established the Industrial Generic Technology
Development Programme in the 1980s to enhance Koreas industrial competitiveness.
Today, about 60% of the projects funded under the programme involve research
collaboration between industry, higher education institutions (HEIs) and GRIs. The
programmes main focus is the improvement of the technical strength of SMEs and the
enhancement of the on-site technology development of HEIs and GRIs. Similarly, MIC
rolled out its expansive IT R&D Programme with a budget exceeding USD 1 billion by

2004 to bolster technological development in the ICT sector. This, too, is now under the
supervision of MKE.
Table 3.6. MKEs strategies for upgrading flagship industries
Sector Goal Strategy
Automobiles Develop and commercialise cutting-edge Develop innovative auto technologies such as telematics and
vehicles with embedded IT functions. integrated control systems to increase safety and comfort.
Secure source technologies for hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles.
Provide incentives for eco-friendly vehicles.
Shipbuilding Develop additional core technologies to Obtain source technologies and developing technologies for key
increase value-added process. parts of offshore plants and icebreaking ships.
Build a new ship model equipped with advanced IT technologies.
Semiconductors Maintain status as the worlds largest memory (In the memory sector)
chip producer. Develop new memory chip technologies; secure advanced
technologies in equipment and material industries.
Enhance competitiveness of non-memory chip (In the non-memory sector)

sector. Support R&D in promising areas and build infrastructure for long-
term technology development.
Steel Maintain status as leading global steel Expand investment in overseas iron ore development projects.
producer. Increase supply of insufficient steel materials.
General Secure advanced technologies to stimulate Develop core technologies for localisation of general machines.
machines production and exports. Conduct joint development by plant producers and equipment
companies of key equipment for future power plants.
Textiles Develop core textile technologies. Promote convergence of textile and IT.
Produce new types of textiles such as green textiles.
Parts and Obtain source technologies. Develop technologies for imported parts and materials.
materials Construct business-friendly infrastructure.
Source: MKE website (www.mke.go.kr/language/eng), accessed November 2008.
In a more targeted manner, MKE is also responsible for the Next-generation Growth
Engines R&D Programme, a scheme started in 2003 which targets ten strategic growth
engine industrial sectors (see Table 3.7). These were selected after much debate between
MoCIE, MoST and MIC, the three ministries previously responsible for administering
different sectors in the programme. The programme is further supported by MESTs HR
Development Plan for Next-generation Growth Engines Sectors to ensure a supply of
appropriately skilled human resources and by the Ministry of Finance and Economys
Commercialisation Support Programme. Under the ten selected strategic sectors,
36 product groups have been identified for support. While it is too early to judge the
impact of the programme, it generated 5 353 patent applications and 932 patent registra-
tions during 2004-06.

Table 3.7. Next-generation Growth Engines R&D Programme

Technology area 2004 2006 Number of technologies
Intelligent robot Car-manufacturing robot Manufacturing robot Increasing or Integrating
Cleaning & secure robot Individual serve robot series of products
IT-based intelligent robot Professional service robot (44)
Network-based humanoid Network robot

Future vehicle Hybrid car Hybrid car No change
Fuel cell vehicle Fuel cell vehicle (33)
Intelligent vehicle Intelligent vehicle
Next-generation cell Second battery Second battery Adjusting series of products
Fuel cell Capacity (22)
Display LCD, PDP, OLED LCD, PDP, OLED No change
Next-generation SoC SoC Decreasing or Integrating
semiconductor Semiconductor equipment Nano process series of products
Nano semiconductor Memory, (64)
SiC semiconductor IT SoC IP

IT SoC IP
IT SoC, designing SoC CAD
Digital TV/broadcast DTV receiver DTV receiver No change
DMB terminal DMB terminal (22)
Nextgeneration mobile Wibro/4 generation mobile Wibro/4 generation mobile Decreasing or Integrating
telecommunications telecommunication telecommunication series of products
Next-generation- fusion mobile Next-generation- fusion mobile (54)
assistant assistant
Ubiquitous sensor network Ubiquitous sensor network
Tele-matrix high-tech system Tele-matrix system
Tele-matrix system loaded on
vehicle
Intelligent home network Home platform Home platform Changing products name or
Middleware Ubiquitous home networking adjusting groups
Intelligent electronic appliance Intelligent electronic appliance (44)
Home networking Wire/wireless home networking

Digital content/SW solution Creating content Next-generation online game Changing products name or
Securing & distributing content Digital images, adjusting groups
Producing content Intelligent SW (65)
Middleware Free software-based system

Basic SW SW
Application SW Information securing SW
Bio Pham./equipment Hetero-organ producing pig clone Hetero-organ producing pig clone No change
Bio-chip for analysis/ diagnosis Bio-chip for analysis/ diagnosis (55)
Drug delivery system Drug delivery system
Cellular therapy Cellular therapy
New bio-medicine New bio-medicine
Total 40 series of products 36 series of products -
Source: MoST (2007), Annual Report on Science and Technology 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.

MEST is also a major player in industrial technology development, though it has

sought to take a longer horizon than the programmes supported by MKE. For instance,
the Total Roadmap included a foresight project that identified 90 strategic technologies
with the potential for considerable impact upon Koreas economic growth. The selection
criteria included assessments of: i) future demand; ii) the innovative nature of the
technology; iii) the strength of the rationale for governmental intervention; iv) existing
R&D capabilities; v) industrial capabilities to exploit the technology and the likely returns
to R&D investment; and vi) the possibility of technological realisation in the selected
time horizon. In all, 33 technologies were subsequently selected as national strategic
technologies that are intended to shape new national R&D programmes (see Table 3.8).
Table 3.8. Total Roadmap: 33 priority technologies
Category Technology No.

Information Next-generation network technology, mobile Internet and 4G mobile communications technology, USN 5
technology and technology, information protection technology, next-generation system S/W technology
electronics
Bio science and Stem cell application technology, preclinical/clinical technology for new drug development, new drug 7
biotechnology target and new drug candidate development technology, drug delivery technology, high added-value
processing and production technology of agricultural, marine, and livestock products, Technology for
early diagnosis of cancer, safety and risk assessment technology
Machinery and Intelligent service robot technology, environmentally friendly automobile technology, ultra-precision 4
manufacturing processing and device technology, Intelligent production system technology (machinery, processing,
process textiles, etc.)
Energy and Hydrogen energy production and storage technology, next-generation cell (secondary cell, fuel cell) 4
resources technology, new and renewable technologies, highly efficient energy use technology
Space, aviation, Satellite (body, payload) development technology, marine technology, marine environment investigation 3
and marine and conservation and management technology
Environment Environmentally friendly production and processing technology, air pollution reduction and treatment 5
technology, resource recycling and safe waste treatment technology, environment preservation and
restoration technology, technology to mitigate and respond to natural disasters
Materials and nano Photon and electron fusion materials, nano-level material processing technology 2
Construction, Technology to create high-speed trains with a max speed of 400km/h, state-of-the-art light rail transit and 3
transport and safety urban-type magnetic levitation train technology, high-tech logistics technology
Source: MoST (2007), Innovation for the Future: Science and Technology in Korea, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.
More recently, the 577 Initiative has identified 50 critical technologies and 40
candidate technologies in seven major technology areas (Table 3.9). These are strategic
technology areas, differentiated only in terms of their level of priority. They were
proposed by various experts, including researchers, R&D planners and industry, working
in committees over a period of several months. The strategic technology areas identified
by these expert committees were further screened by the relevant ministries before being
approved by the NSTC.

Table 3.9. List of critical and candidate technologies in seven major technology areas
Technology areas Critical technologies (50) Candidate technologies (40)

Key industrial technologies 1. Environmentally friendly automotive technology 1. Intelligent automotive technology
2. Next-generation shipbuilding and offshore-platform 2. Next-generation production process and equipment
technology technology
3. Intelligent production system technology 3. Next-generation memory semiconductor technology
4. High-precision micro-machining and
instrumentation control technology
5. Next-generation network technology
6. Mobile Internet and 4G mobile communication
technology
7. Non-memory semiconductor technology
8. Next-generation semiconductor equipment and
process technology
9. Next-generation display technology
Emerging critical 10. Cancer diagnosis and treatment technology 4. Biomaterials and process technology
technologies 11. Drug discovery and development technology 5. Conservation of marine resources and utilisation
12. Clinical testing technology technology of marine biotechnology
13. Medical apparatus development Technology 6. Regulation technology of cellular function
14. Stem-cell Technology 7. Genomics applied technology
15. Proteomics and Metabolics Applied Technology 8. Application and analysis technology of biomedical
16. Technology of Identification of Drug Target and information
Drug Candidate 9. Gene therapy technology
17. Brain Science Research and Brain Disease 10. Oriental medicine and treatment technology
Diagnosis and Treatment Technology 11. Next-generation computing solution technology
18. Next-generation System Software Technology 12. Information security technology
19. Next-generation high performance computing
Technology
20. Next-generation Human-Computer Interaction
Technology
Knowledge-based service 21. Converging contents and knowledge service 13. Converging technology of communication and
technologies technology broadcasting
22. Advanced logistics technology
State-led technologies 23. Satellite development technology 14. High-rise building technology
24. Next-generation airplane development technology 15. Next-generation railroad system technology
25. Nuclear fusion technology 16. Construction-based technology
26. Next-generation nuclear reactor technology 17. Super-long bridge construction technology
27. Next-generation weapon development technology 18. Advanced transportation system technology
19. Advanced residence and education environment
technology
20. Intelligent national geographic information system
development technology
21. Satellite propulsion technology
22. Utilisation technology of satellite information
23. Planet exploration and space monitoring system
development technology
24. Global navigation satellite system technology
25. Efficiency and safety enhancement technology of
sea-air aviation
26. Utilisation technology of radiation and radioactive
isotope
27. Nuclear fuel cycle technology
28. Nuclear power use and safety enhancement
technology

Table 3.9. List of critical and candidate technologies in seven major technology areas (continued)
Technology areas Critical technologies (50) Candidate technologies (40)

National issues-related 28. Immune disease and infectious disease 29. Food resource utilisation and management
technologies response technology technology
29. Human safety and risk evaluation technology 30. Insect pest and disease prevention and control
30. Food safety evaluation technology technology
31. Agricultural resources development and 31. Applied technology of environment-friendly nano-
management technology materials
32. IT nano-device technology 32. Nano-bio materials
33. High-efficiency energy management
technology
Global issues-related 34. Hydrogen production and storage technology 33. Next-generation superconductivity and power IT
technologies 35. Next-generation fuel cells & energy storage technology
and conversion technology 34. Highly efficient technology for resource utilisation
36. New and renewable energy technology 35. Environmentally friendly process technology
37. Energy and resource exploration & 36. Resource recycling and waste safe treatment
development technology technology
38. Marine territory management technology 37. Integrated management and utilisation technology of
39. Marine environments maintenance technology environmental information
40. Atmospheric environmental improvement 38. Life safety and anti-terror technology
technology 39. Fire safety and future fire extinguishing equipment
41. Environment conservation and restoration development technology
technology
42. Water quality management and water
resources protection technology
43. Climate change prediction and adaptation
technology
44. Natural disaster prevention and management
technology
Basic and convergent 45. Drug delivery technology 40. Nano measuring and evaluation technology
technologies 46. Biochip and biosensor technology
47. Intelligent robot technology
48. Nano-based functional materials technology
49. Nano-based convergent and composite
materials technology
50. Advanced city planning and construction
Technology

MEST is also responsible for funding several national R&D programmes that seek to
improve national competitiveness. For example, the 21st Century Frontier R&D
Programme is a medium-to-long-term funding programme to develop a selection of future
technologies which would allow Korea to exploit its technological capabilities to achieve
global competitiveness. The programme aims to develop these technologies within ten
years with a view to their rapid contribution to economic growth. The likely economic
impact and marketability of the future technologies constitute major selection criteria for
this programme. As of 2006, the programme had an annual budget of KRW 147 billion
devoted to 22 projects, each of which is supported for up to ten years (Table 3.10). Like
its predecessor, the G7 Project, the programme is cross-departmental, with MoST
supervising 16 projects, MoCIE five and MIC one.
Table 3.10. 21st century frontier R&D programmes by year
Year Project agency

1999 (2) The Centre for Functional Analysis of Human Genome
Intelligent Microsystems Centre
2000 (3) Tera Level Nano Devices
Plant Diversity Research Centre
Resource Recycling R&D Centre
2001 (5) The Centre for Biological Modulators
Crop Functional Genomics Centre
Centre for Advanced Materials Processing
Centre for Applied Superconductivity Technology
Sustainable Water Resources Research Centre
2002 (8) Microbial Genomics & Applications Centre
Stem Cell Research Centre
Functional Proteomics Centre
Centre for Nanoscale Mechatronics & Manufacturing
Centre for Nanostructured Materials Technology
Carbon Dioxide Reduction & Sequestration R&D Centre
Smart UAV Development Centre
Information Display R&D Centre
2003 (4) Centre for Intelligent Robotics
Ubiquitous Computing & Network
Brain Research Centre
Hydrogen Energy R&D Centre
Source: MoST (2007), Science and Technology Yearbook 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.
Another national competitiveness initiative supported by MEST is the National

Research Laboratory programme, which aims to identify and further develop laboratories
in areas of core technology. Almost USD 40 million was made available for the
programme in 2006, with selected laboratories benefiting from annual grants of
USD 200 000 to USD 300 000 each for up to five years. On a much larger scale are the
Space R&D and Nuclear R&D programmes. The former had a budget of around
USD 250 million in 2006 for seven projects. The aim of the Space R&D programme is to

establish self-reliance in space technology, including launch capabilities and the

development of satellites. The Nuclear R&D programmes were started in 1992 in order to
create new high-value industries, advance core nuclear technology and expand the
applications of nuclear technology to areas such as medicine and industry. These
programmes had a budget of USD 186 million in 2006. The government is also making
significant investments in developing future nuclear fusion technologies, with a budget of
KRW 129 billion for this area in 2009.
3.4.3. Promoting diversification

The dominance of the Korean economy by the ICT sector and a few large firms raises
concerns about excessive concentration, as this contributes to the dualism of the Korean
economy and may fail to provide a broad enough base for convergence to the income
levels in the most advanced OECD countries. Furthermore, Korea has recently suffered
significant terms-of-trade losses partly because of a downward trend in prices in high-
technology products, such as semiconductors and mobile telecommunications. Other
countries in which ICT is important Sweden, Finland, Ireland and Japan also show
large terms-of-trade losses. This demonstrates the importance of implementing structural
reforms, including a more diversified approach to R&D, in order to promote productivity
growth in other sectors (OECD, 2007a).
Table 3.11. Association of R&D expenditures to 6T, 2006

Percentages
Public research
Universities Companies Total
institutes
IT (information technology) 19.4 25.7 39.5 35.6
BT (biotechnology) 12.7 24.2 3.3 6.6
NT (nanotechnology) 4.8 9.7 15.3 13.4
ST (space technology) 9.2 2.0 0.6 1.8
ET (environment technology) 13.1 8.6 5.0 6.4
CT (culture technology) 0.0 2.7 1.2 1.2
Other 40.8 27.2 35.1 35.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
The Korean government is well aware of these dangers and has been active in trying
to establish a broader spectrum of future growth engines through R&D spending.
However, a central issue for policy makers when prioritising R&D spending is whether to
build on existing strengths and capabilities or to spread resources across a diversity of
emerging opportunities. Rarely are such options considered rationally, however, because
of the powerful influence of existing interests. This may be the case in Korea, as
evidenced by the continuing dominance of ICTs in public R&D expenditures (see
Table 3.11). With government accounting for less than 25% of R&D spending in Korea,
large firms, particularly in the ICT and automobile sectors, have a powerful pull on public
research agendas. On the other hand, IT is hardly a narrow field and there seems to be a
continuing flow of new developments and applications. This leads advocates of IT

research to argue that levels of public R&D investment should be maintained to support a
key industry in which Korea excels.
This is not a view shared by MEST, whose predecessor, MoST, explicitly argued for
the need to diversify public support for R&D away from IT (see Figure 3.6). According to
MoST (2007b), if government R&D investments are made in accordance with the
technologies contained in the Total Roadmap, R&D investments for technologies such as
biotechnology, energy technology, environmental technology and basic sciences should
increase, whereas investments for technologies such as machinery, manufacturing
process, and information and electronics technologies should decrease. However, there
appears to be a significant amount of lock-in across the research system which favours
continuing strong government support for R&D in areas such as IT and manufacturing
machinery. For example, Table 3.12 shows the dominance of engineering professions in
the research workforce, both in the public and private sectors. Clearly, it is important to
consider such existing knowledge capabilities and assets when seeking to diversify R&D
expenditures. Furthermore, the distribution of Korean scientific publications in SCI
journals shows a strong focus on the physical sciences and engineering, with far fewer
publications in the life sciences (see Table 3.13). Figure 3.7 suggests this may be
changing, but only slowly.
Figure 3.6. Future prospect of mid- and long-term government R&D investment by S&T area
Decreasing industrial R&D, increasing R&D for basic public welfare
Accelerated innovation period Sustained innovation period

(GNI USD 20 000) (GNI USD 30 000) Fields
1. Bio-science, energy
resources, basic science,
environment
Investment trend
2. Space, aviation, marine,

construction,
transportation, safety,
materials, nanotech
3. Manufacturing process,
machinery
4. Information technology,
electronics
2007 2012
Source: MoST (2007), Innovation for the Future: Science and Technology in Korea, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.

Table 3.12. Researchers by major field of study and sector of performance

Public research institutes Universities Companies Total

Researchers Ratio Researchers Ratio Researchers Ratio Researchers Ratio
Natural science 3 088 8.8 12 840 36.4 19.311 54.8 35 239 100.0
Engineering 9 719 5.3 30 187 16.3 144 991 78.4 184 897 100.0
Medical science 928 5.3 14 960 86.0 1 503 8.6 17 391 100.0
Agriculture, etc. 2 396 33.6 3 444 48.3 1 292 18.1 7 132 100.0
Others 640 5.4 4 492 37.6 6 807 57.0 11 939 100.0
Total 16 771 6.5 65 923 25.7 173 904 67.8 256 598 100.0
Table 3.13. Distribution of scientific articles by field, 2003

Percentages
Engineering,
Social and
Country Life sciences Physical sciences technology and
behavioural sciences
mathematics
Finland 59.6 22.2 9.9 8.4
Sweden 59.4 22.9 9.3 8.5
United States 54.1 22.2 10.7 12.9
United Kingdom 52.5 23.5 10.2 13.9
EU15 52.1 30.1 9.6 8.2
OECD 51.8 28.2 10.7 9.3
Germany 50.3 34.6 9.7 5.5
Japan 46.8 38.6 12.5 2.0
France 46.6 36.6 9.6 7.3
Korea 33.3 42.0 21.0 3.9
Source: OECD (2007b), Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2007, OECD, Paris.

Figure 3.7. Distribution of scientific articles by field, 2003 and 2007
2007 2003
Social and behavioural sciences
Engineering, technology and mathematics
Physical sciences
Life sciences
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Percentage
Bak Administration, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Seoul, and OECD (2007), Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard,
OECD, Paris.
In addition to structural lock-ins, a lack of alignment between MESTs stated aim of

diversification and continuing strong support for ICT R&D might also be explained in
part by the fact that much public support for R&D still flows through the mission-
oriented ministries, including MKE. For example, the ten strategic industries identified as
part of the Future Growth Engine R&D Programme (administered by MKE) show a
considerable bias towards ICT (see above). This demonstrates the limits of the steering
capabilities of MEST when other ministries have strong agendas as well.
Despite these challenges, nanotechnology, environmental technology and bio-
technology have each received considerable public R&D support as part of the
governments effort to diversify the economy into new high-technology growth areas. For
example, although still far behind spending on information technology, government
funding of biotechnology has increased markedly over recent years and compares very
favourably to international levels (see Figure 3.8). To some extent, the same can be said
of nanotechnology and environmental technology.8 In an interesting twist to the debate on
whether public support for R&D in emerging areas should increasingly displace support
for the ICT sector, the Total Roadmap proposes building research and innovation
competencies in areas of technology fusion. These would centre upon ICT, given Koreas
capabilities in the field, but would see the incorporation of areas such as biotechnology
and nanotechnology. This has been further picked up in the 577 Initiative, where one of
the seven major technology areas to be supported concentrates upon convergent
technologies.
The Biotechnology Promotion Act of 1983 provides the legal framework governing
support policies in the biotechnology field. The latest development plan for the field, Bio-
Vision 2016, is briefly set out in Box 3.7. MEST also supports a specific national R&D
programme dedicated to biotechnology development, with funding of USD 48 million in
2006.

Figure 3.8. Biotechnology R&D expenditures by the public sector (government and higher education)
Millions of USD current PPP, 2003
USD millions
1 000
800 15.3 Public biotechnology R&D as a

percentage of total public R&D
12.4
600
400
1.6
24.2
200 9.9 6.7 6.0
1.3
0
Korea Canada (1) Spain (2004) United New Zealand Denmark Finland Norway Sweden (3) Iceland
Kingdom (2) (2004) (2002)
1. Biotechnology R&D financed by the federal government only (excludes provincial funding) and excluding business funding of public
sector research.
2. Central government budget provision for R&D expenditure data.
3. Higher education only.
Source: OECD Biotechnology Statistics 2006.
Box 3.7. Bio-Vision 2016

Bio-Vision 2016 (2007-16) is a ten-year plan intended to succeed Biotech 2000 (1994-2006) and has two central visions: a
society oriented toward a healthy life and a prosperous bio-economy. Bio-Vision 2016 has several targets, including
achieving seventh place in the world ranking of academic publications and patents and creating an industry with a market
size of KRW 60 trillion. A four-part strategy has been developed to achieve these goals: i) innovative restructuring of the
national biotechnology promotion system; ii) expanding infrastructure for upgrading R&D; iii) accelerating growth and
achieving globalisation of the bio-industry; and iv) regulatory and legal overhaul and enhancement of public acceptance.
Detailed plans outline promotion strategies for key biotechnology fields, including life sciences; health care and medicine;
food, agriculture and livestock; and industrial processes/environment. As a high-level plan, Bio-Vision 2016 is intended to
oversee biotechnology promotion across various parts of government. As such, it contains measures to promote greater
efficiency in inter-governmental project co-ordination, such as the introduction of a meta-evaluation system and
improvement of the inter-agency co-ordination system.
Measures to enhance the business environment for companies would include the acceleration of the industrialisation of
research results, expanding the pool of technology transfer organisations, and increasing sources of business funding. The
plan also contains various initiatives to facilitate the development of human resources. For instance, there will be
increased support for post-doctoral and other junior researchers, as well as initiatives to broaden female participation in
the workforce. Finally, the plan includes directions for gaining broader public support and participation by strengthening
research ethics guidelines and stepping up awareness and information efforts. Taken together, the government plans to
inject more than KRW 14 billion into Bio-Vision 2016 projects during the programmes lifetime.
Source: MoST (2006).

It is interesting to consider how an emerging science-intensive field like biotech-

nology can be developed and exploited by a country more familiar with catching up.
While Korea is a technological leader in a few ICT areas, it remains a fast-follower in
many others. An important question concerns how exploitation of these emerging
technologies will differ from the countrys experience with information technology.
Recalling that Korea entered the IT sector at a relatively late stage, are current conditions
conducive to becoming a technology leader in emerging fields like biotechnology and
nanotechnology? In other words, what does it take to be a successful first-mover in an
emerging field?
Researchers at STEPI (e.g. see Cho et al., 2006 and Cho, 2008) have explored such
questions in reference to biotechnology. They have shown that R&D investment and
human capital formation in this field have drastically increased as a result of government
investment. Employment in the sector is growing rapidly (by 18% annually from 1997 to
2004), and skills levels are exceptionally high. Indeed, around one-third of all Korean
PhDs are in the life sciences and 38% of undergraduates were female in 2005 (up from
29% in 1999). The number of biotechnology companies has also grown quickly during
the past decade. Today, the Korean biotechnology industry is composed of approximately
300 pharmaceutical companies, 650 bio-venture companies, and 250 functional food
processing companies. Most are SMEs, with two-thirds employing fewer than 50 persons.
Only around 200 of the 650 bio-venture companies are producing and selling their
products in the market; the others mainly conduct R&D without production/sales.
There are, however, problems. As Cho (2008) reports, biotechnology companies have
struggled to raise funds and their small size means they lack the capabilities to create new
drugs and materials. Instead, many focus on mass production and improvement of generic
products developed in advanced countries, and most firms are considered medium or even
low level. The lack of bio-infrastructure, such as cGMP (cyclic good manufacturing
practices), is also a major barrier. Moreover, there is little collaboration among local
R&D players (companies, universities and GRIs) and a lack of international collabora-
tion. Public R&D players are relatively successful at generating papers and patents
(though there is some question about the usefulness of the latter) but are less successful at
transferring technology to local biotechnology firms. Interestingly, firms have relied
mainly on in-house R&D to acquire technology and have rarely sought to import
technology from abroad. This is in contrast to the familiar catch-up route of technology
acquisition by other industries in Korea.
Given these challenges, government intervention centres upon: i) improving the cycle
of technological development and commercialisation by strengthening collaboration
among industry, universities and GRIs; ii) fostering the bio-ecosystem by raising bio-
clusters and human capital to world-class levels; iii) developing bio-business models that
advocate entrepreneurship and induce private-sector investment; and iv) rapidly
increasing the levels of R&D investment (Cho, 2008). On the latter, the public R&D
budget increased annually at a rate of 23% from 1994 to 2006 to reach more than
USD 630 million in 2006. The main sectors are health care (34%), bio-science (30%), and
bio-agriculture/food/livestock (21%). MoST accounted for the largest investment (41%),
followed by MoCIE (18%), the Ministry of Health and Welfare (17%) and the Ministry of
Agriculture and Food (13%).
Thus, the government and especially MEST has sought to give the sector a strong
push, but questions remain as to whether government policies are having the intended
effects. In particular, the industry remains underdeveloped, and linkages between the

public and private sectors are weak, as are international linkages. Such problems are
hardly unique to Korea and are relatively common elsewhere in the OECD area. They are
associated with emerging fields, where risks and uncertainties abound and where there are
few guarantees of success. To some extent, it will be necessary to wait and see, while
actively fostering the infrastructure and human resources that will allow opportunities to
be seized as they arise.
Services is another area in which Korea could seek to diversify. As highlighted in
earlier parts of this review, there is significant scope for Korea to improve productivity in
this area. However, for the most part, the Korean services sector does not face the same
pressures from global competition as the manufacturing sector and thus has fewer
incentives to innovate (and improve productivity). Further opening up domestic services
markets to international competition would promote innovation, although it is often said
that Korean services firms are too weak to compete and need to be protected as part of an
infant industry development strategy. Another route could involve the creation of lead
markets through a public procurement strategy that incorporates an active innovation
agenda (see section 3.7). This would see the government, as a major procurer of services,
set standards and service requirements requiring local firms to invest in innovation.
To be fair, the government has not been blind to the need to develop the services
sector. For example, the previous administration launched several flagship hub projects
to boost Koreas service industries, including positioning the country as an Asian
financial hub (Box 3.8), an Asian logistics hub and the Northeast Asia R&D Hub. The
new government has also indicated a strong interest in promoting innovation in services.
As part of a new roadmap for the services sector announced in 2008, the government
plans to promote the creation of a high value-added business services market by
encouraging outsourcing to boost demand for knowledge-based services (for example,
SMEs are to receive subsidies for management consulting services) and by doubling the
share of government R&D in industrial technology that goes to the services sector from
3.1% in 2008 to 6.2% in 2012 (OECD, 2008b). One of the seven major technology areas
to be supported under the 577 Initiative is knowledge-based service technologies.
Proposals include developing software, culture technology, design capabilities, and
intelligent manufacturing system technology.
Box 3.8. Korea as an Asian financial hub

Becoming a financial hub for Asia would increase the productivity and efficiency of Koreas financial
services industry by strengthening competition with foreign financial institutions. However, Korea faces
severe competition from existing financial centres and other locations with ambitions to become a hub. For
example, Shanghai announced its so-called "three-step strategy" in 2002 to become a regional financial centre.
Sydney has also been focusing on attracting foreign asset management companies and venture capital business
as part of its Axis Australia initiative. Tokyo has undertaken financial reform programmes aimed at
revitalising its financial industry.
Furthermore, according to a 2007 survey of foreigners working in Koreas financial sector (KDI, 2007),
43% responded that strict regulation makes it difficult for Korea to become a hub. In addition, the need for
domestic companies to achieve international competitiveness is complicated by a general lack of expertise.
Indeed, Korea ranked 45th in terms of financial experts, compared to 11th for Hong Kong, China, and 15th for
Singapore (IMD, 2008). In sum, creating a financial hub depends on modernising the regulatory structure and
increasing the number of financial experts by improving the business and living conditions, in part through
reforms in education and health care, to attract more foreign investment.

While these R&D budget increases are to be welcomed, there seems to be a

widespread lack of understanding of the nature of services science. To complicate
matters further, process innovation and management innovation are often just as, or even
more, important than technological innovation in improving the productivity of service
industries. In other words, services science must include a heavy dose of social science
and humanities (SSH) research. This highlights the necessarily interdisciplinary nature of
services science and calls for a largely new partnership between the natural sciences and
SSH. How this might be done will require careful consideration and lessons should be
drawn as far as possible from international experience. Already, detailed studies have
been carried out for MKE and MEST which offer recommendations for moving forward,
while the need for close collaboration between these two ministries, as in other STI areas,
should be self-evident. A further promising sign is the recent establishment of the Service
Science National Forum, which involves the participation of 35 leading public and private
member organisations and a further 1 000 or so individual members. It has established
more than a dozen sub-committees dedicated to different service industries and seeks to
promote services science by publishing a new academic journal, developing new
university curricula, and generally raising awareness of the importance of the field among
policy makers, industry and academics.9
3.4.5. Funding for research infrastructures

Shifting the governments R&D portfolio towards more fundamental research also
requires the development of suitable capabilities and the provision of adequate resources,
notably research infrastructures. The GRIs are relatively well endowed with the latter, but
the Korean government has sought to focus its efforts on strengthening the research
capacities of the universities, as these have historically been weak. These will take
considerable time to develop and it would be unrealistic to expect too much too soon.
The distribution of S&T funds is rather unbalanced in terms of region, university and
academic field of study (KEDI, 2006). According to the KRF, much of its funding is
concentrated on the top five universities, while research funding by KOSEF shows a
similar distribution. For the majority of universities, particularly in the regions, there is
said to be a vicious cycle in R&D investment. Since their R&D facilities are less well
developed, they have insufficient strength to compete for funding with other R&D actors
(especially the GRIs), and have thus attracted fewer national R&D resources. But without
this funding, universities are unable to strengthen their R&D facilities and research teams.
The government has sought to circumvent this vicious cycle by targeting specific
funds for the development of centres of research excellence in universities. MEST is
especially active here, and its predecessor, MoST, established in the early 1990s a
programme for promoting the establishment of Science Research Centres (SRCs) and
Engineering Research Centres (ERCs). The objectives are: i) to raise leading scientific
groups to world-class level; ii) to facilitate co-operation between industry and academia;
and iii) to establish research-oriented universities. SRCs focus upon creative basic
research that should lead to outstanding academic publications and the development of
advanced technologies. ERCs are engaged mainly in basic engineering research with the
potential for industrial advances, while encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration
between industry and academia. Table 3.14 presents the number of SRCs and ERCs
established by academic field and shows that the life sciences account for more than a
quarter of centres, followed some way behind by ICT and electrical engineering. This is
an interesting pattern that is largely at odds with the overall pattern of R&D funding and

human resource profiles in Korean S&T. As Figure 3.9 shows, the competition for centre
status is intense, but the rewards immense by university funding standards: each selected
centre receives around USD 10 million over nine years; this provides a sound basis for
establishing leading-edge research activities.
Table 3.14. Number of SRCs/ERCs funded according to field, 2005
Number of centres Ratio

Field Total
Active Retired (%)
Mathematics 2 2 4 3.5
Physics 7 4 11 9.7
Chemistry 5 4 9 8.0
Geosciences 1 1 3 2.7
Life sciences 20 13 33 29.2
ICT and electrical engineering. 10 6 16 14.2
Mechanical engineering and energy 5 6 11 9.7
Materials science 4 5 9 8.0
Chemical engineering 6 6 12 10.6
Civil and environmental engineering 4 1 5 4.4
Total 64 48 113 100
Source: KOSEF website (www.kosef.re.kr/english_new/), accessed February 2008.
Figure 3.9. University research centres of excellence, 1990-2005
Applied Selected
250
200
150
100
50
Source: Cho, Hwang-Hee (2005), Material for Discussion on Innovation Korea and Activation of University R&D, STEPI, Seoul.
The SRC/ERC programme was later extended, with the establishment of Medical
Research Centres (MRCs) and National Core Research Centres (NCRCs). The MRCs
conduct large-scale, long-term R&D, the outputs of which are used in bioengineering and
clinical medicine. They also have an important brief for developing human resources and
provide clinical medicine graduates with opportunities to enter medical research. Each
centre receives approximately USD 300 000-500 000 a year for a maximum of nine years.

The NCRCs are intended to create world-class knowledge in core science and technology
fields that will underpin Koreas future competitiveness. As with the other types of
centre, development of human resources is an important element of the NCRCs remit.
Each centre benefits from approximately USD 2 million of funding annually for a
maximum of seven years.
As already mentioned, the GRIs tend to have superior research infrastructure to the
universities. One idea being considered by the government is to encourage much closer
co-operation between the GRIs and universities, as they seem to have complementary
assets, at least at face value. The form this co-operation might take remains open, but
might involve full merger of at least some GRIs with some universities. Although hardly
an unprecedented move in OECD countries (for example, see Box 3.9, which describes
the merger of the French CNRS into the university system), such developments would
need to be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, various models of
university-GRI co-existence are found around the world and any lessons from these
would need to be carefully interpreted in the Korean context.
Box 3.9. The French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Obstacles to the integration of universities and public R&D institutes can be overcome. The CNRS
successfully made agreements with universities to locate more than 90% of its laboratories on university
campuses. CNRS laboratories now utilise graduate students and professors at universities, thereby reducing
their R&D expenses. At the same time, universities that invited CNRS laboratories to participate in their
research projects also utilise CNRS R&D professionals as teaching staff. Both parties benefit from a situation
which can be truly called a win-win game.
Source: OECD (2003), Governance of Public Research: Toward Better Practices, OECD, Paris.
A further issue for research infrastructures is highlighted in the Total Roadmap and
concerns problems of effectiveness in utilising large-scale S&T equipment and facilities.
Korea has made some major investments over the last decade or so in such equipment and
facilities, not least to improve national basic research capabilities. However, their use has
often been criticised as ineffective and inefficient. Again, this is not a problem unique to
Korea. By way of solution, the Total Roadmap proposes to promote better facility
utilisation through improved co-ordination and conciliation among widely distributed
ministerial R&D planning, operation, evaluation and management systems. The new 577
Initiative goes even further, setting a target of increasing the ratio of shared utilisation of
research facilities and equipment from 14% in 2006 to 30% by 2012.10 In addition, a
master plan has been formulated for securing, managing and utilising national bio-
resources.
Finally, the new government is considering the injection of large sums into building
new world-class facilities for basic and applied science. A task force set up by the
Presidential Transition Committee in early 2008 has drawn up plans for a new city of
science and culture that would involve constructing several big facilities, including a
heavy ion accelerator, a next-generation synchrotron light source, and a research hospital.
Known as the International Science and Business Belt (ISBB), the plans attempt to make
connections with several overarching goals on the current Korean STI policy agenda.
These include a shift towards more fundamental and interdisciplinary research, efforts to
further internationalise research, and support for national competitiveness through the
commercialisation of research findings and the development of highly skilled human
resources. Besides the large scientific facilities, the plans include establishing the Asia

Basic Science Institute, a research centre of some 2 000 researchers, many from overseas;
a Global Knowledge Platform dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge to benefit all
mankind; and a Science and Business Network to connect the research sector with
business partners and government sponsors. The proposed location of the ISBB lies in
Chungcheong province, where ready connections can be made to the Daedeok Innopolis
(see section 3.9), the Osong biosciences cluster, the Ochang information technology city,
and the new administrative complex at Sejong City.
The vision for the ISBB outlined in Box 3.10 is inspiring and certainly commendable
but is also extremely ambitious and likely to be very costly. Furthermore, to succeed, it
will need to take into account a number of important factors:
Demand for the new facilities: The new infrastructures to be provided under the
ISBB are intended as a way to attract world-class researchers to Korea. If this is to
prove the case, it will be important for the facilities to be distinctive when
compared to infrastructures in other countries, particularly in the Asian region.
This calls for international co-operation in scoping and designing facilities to
maximise their attractiveness and potential usefulness. In this regard, the ISBB
plans refer to co-operation with India, but no mention is made of Koreas closest
neighbours, China and Japan.11 This is a curious omission, particularly as both of
these countries have large facilities and plan further investments (including plans
for new light sources and synchrotrons). It would seem only prudent therefore for
the Korean government and scientific community to work with their counterparts
in neighbouring countries to better ensure the development of infrastructures with
wide appeal that will complement existing/planned facilities elsewhere in the region.
Translating basic science into commercial success: The plans for the ISBB make
much of the idea that breakthrough scientific discoveries will translate into
technological developments, which will in turn increase the competitiveness of
Korean business. This line of reasoning follows the classic linear model of
innovation, which has long been discarded by innovation academics and policy
makers. Such a model does not do justice to the multi-level, non-linear processes
that firms, entrepreneurs and users engage in to create successful and sustainable
innovations. Furthermore, the model places too much emphasis upon the utility of
the outcomes of basic research when in fact the most significant return to basic
research tends to be the skills and understanding embodied in the researchers
themselves. This is not to deny the potential for significant spillovers from the
ISBBs proposed basic research activities, but instead to highlight the conceptual,
let alone practical, challenges in trying to harness them in a directed manner.
Positioning the ISBB vis--vis other research performers: The ISBB plans are
careful to distinguish it from the scope and scale of research activities already
performed by the GRIs and universities. Accordingly, the ISBB is presented as a
basic science complex distinct from the applied science Daedeok Innopolis; and as
a place for basic science using larger facilities than those available in the
universities. Interdisciplinarity and a multi-stage research and innovation scope are
also presented as distinguishing factors. While there is merit in these distinctions,
they do not necessarily lead to the conclusion that the ISBB is an essential invest-
ment for Korea. For instance, the GRIs with their substantial facilities could
engage in more basic research than they do at present. And with further infra-
structural investments and/or closer co-operation with the GRIs, the universities
could readily perform more large-scale experiments. An assessment of the relative

costs and benefits of these and other options should therefore be carried out before
committing to the building of the ISBB.
Box 3.10. The promise of the International Science and Business Belt (ISBB)
The International Science and Business Belt (ISBB) will be Koreas showpiece for a science nation of the future. With the
ISBB as an exemplar, Korea as a whole will become an international focus for science and business. Korea will become a
leading country in the world as it establishes a Global Knowledge Platform where the applied sciences flourish on the
foundation of strong basic science. In this way, the ISBB will be the heart that pumps the economic lifeblood of the
country to become one of the Big Seven Powers. More specifically:
The ISBB promises to add much value to academia and to other related industries. The leading
researchers gathered in the ISBB from across the globe will drive a Korean Wave in science, much like
the cultural wave that has swept Asia in recent years. The country that used to send a great number of
students overseas will bustle with students from abroad.
As a city where people desire to live and visit, the ISBB will be a showpiece for 21st century cities. The
city will enable science, art, culture and industries to merge creatively and produce synergy between the
basic and applied sciences. A top-class basic science research institute comparable to the world-
renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory in the United States and the Max Plank Institute in Germany
will be established at the centre of the city.
The ISBB will be the hub of a 21st century creative network, where science, art, culture and industries
converge. It will be Koreas 21st century Silicon Valley, where the latest scientific knowledge in
service, medical, banking, manufacturing, communications, transportation, real estate, architecture, and
many other industries can be readily translated into business.
At the ISBB, experts will meet and exchange ideas with other experts in the same field as well as with
those in different fields. Research preparation, knowledge creation and propagation/transmission will be
carried out systematically. The city will thus become the leader of international knowledge distribution
as the central axis of science shifts to Asia, following similar shifts in industry.
As more than a city for scientists, the ISBB will be a global nexus where research and industry, East and
West, and traditional Asian culture and modern culture converge. Not only will it bring about
differentiated scientific competitiveness to participating organisations, it will also become a place where
science and the humanities, and industry and art come together for lively exchange and co-operation.
Source: Excerpt from the report of the International Science and Business Belt Task Force (2008).
3.5. HRST policy
Various ministries are involved in policies related to human resources for science and
technology (HRST), but by far the most important is MEST, which combines the
previously two most important ministries for HRST, MoE and MoST. Much of this
section describes the policies of these two ministries, together with a brief description of
the programmes of MoCIE and MIC (now combined to form the MKE). A discussion of
tertiary education reform follows, specifically the attempts to enhance autonomy and
accountability in higher education institutions, to improve HEIs specialisation and
linkages with industry, and to foster the development of research skills. Programmes
addressing vocational training and lifelong learning are then considered. The section ends
with an assessment of the policies directed at promoting greater female participation in
Korean science and engineering.

3.5.1. Policy responsibility and co-ordination

Before the establishment of MEST in 2008, MoE was the most important ministry for
HRST policy. In 2001, its minister was elevated to the position of deputy prime minister
(in a manner similar to the MoST minister in 2004) in order to establish, oversee and co-
ordinate human resource development (HRD) policies on a national level. The MoE
implemented the First Basic Plan for National Human Resource Development (NHRD)
during 2001-05. The plan contained some important policy initiatives for HRST,
including the establishment of infrastructure for supporting the supply of human
resources in six strategic fields (information technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology,
environmental technology, space technology and culture technology), and the renewal of
universities as the centre for tripartite co-operative arrangements among industries,
academic communities and research institutions (including the GRIs) to manage issues of
HRST supply and demand. While these initiatives met with some success, there were also
problems: the heterogeneity of the six technology fields in terms of their industrial base in
Korea made it difficult to implement the policy under a single set of criteria. The tripartite
co-operative arrangements also failed to fully alleviate the mismatches between demand
and supply, since the overall signalling mechanism of labour markets and educational
institutions was underdeveloped.
Upon completion of the First Basic Plan, MoE developed the Second Basic Plan for
NHRD (2006-10), which brought together HRD policy tasks to be carried out by some
20 government ministries and offices from 2006 to 2010. The plan includes 200 policy
tasks, including 67 key tasks in four policy areas: the development of a globally competi-
tive core workforce; the empowerment of all individuals for lifelong learning; the
facilitation of social integration and educational and cultural welfare; and the expansion
of the HRD infrastructure. In its specific application to tertiary education, the plans main
strategy has been to:
promote restructuring and competition through the use of various incentives and
disincentives.
target funding for specialisation and regional parity.
finance learners rather than providers through new student loans.
improve labour market information on skill requirements.
enhance networking and partnerships between higher education and local govern-
ments and the business community.
Most of these points are further elaborated in later sub-sections. Implementation of
the NHRD Plan is now the responsibility of MEST.
As for the other ministries, MoST sought to shift the focus of HRD from quantity to
quality. Using its centres of excellence programmes (discussed above), it encouraged the
development of high-calibre researchers in the universities. Furthermore, it used its
budget to directly support three special schools that set out to nurture high-calibre S&T
manpower. These are the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST),
the Gwang-Ju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), and the Korea Institute for
Advanced Study (KIAS).
Before the establishment of MEST, the respective roles of MoE and MoST were not
clearly distinguished, particularly in the steering of HRST policy. This sometimes led to
programme overlap. For example, both ministries, through their respective funding

agencies (KRF and KOSEF), supported individual research projects in S&T fields
without a clear distinction between their programmes. The formation of MEST should, at
least in theory, offer opportunities for eliminating such redundancies and for exploiting
greater efficiencies and scale benefits.
For its part, MoCIE was charged with fostering industrial technology manpower and
e-business manpower. Its policy focus was on regional innovation systems (see below),
and its HRST policies and programmes addressed that level. Its sister ministry, the MIC,
was responsible for nurturing ICT professionals. In 2003, it introduced a supply chain
management model into its programme to form ICT professionals, help ICT-related
schools to improve their equipment and education curricula, encourage universities to
scout for ICT professionals with work experiences in companies or research institutes
(both at home and abroad), and provide assistance for ICT internships so that more
students could gain on-the-job experience. All of the activities of MoCIE and MIC now
fall under the responsibility of MKE.
3.5.2. Enhancing autonomy and accountability

From a legal perspective, Korean tertiary education institutions (national, public and
private) have significant autonomy with respect to academic and substantive issues.
Nevertheless, their autonomy is limited in several ways, most notably student selection
and enrolment quotas. With a view to guaranteeing fairness in the student selection
process, written exams set by the universities, donations from students, and high-school
classification systems are prohibited the so-called Three Nots. Instead, student
selection has been governed by test scores from the CSAT (College Scholastic Ability
Test). Enrolment quotas also apply for all universities in the capital region, for national
and public universities (they affect the national budget), and for schools for medical
personnel.
In the last couple of years, the government has sought to reform the student selection
process to give universities greater autonomy in terms of the students they enrol. The
methodology for using CSAT scores and high-school grade point averages has been
altered, and the importance of other admission criteria and diversity of social composition
has increased. This means that universities may now use student records, CSAT scores,
essay writing, certificates and letters of recommendation to choose students and determine
the weight given to these elements. Furthermore, by 2012, the government will reduce the
number of required subjects in the university admission exams; and from 2013, it is
planned that universities will be granted complete autonomy in admission procedures.
The liberalisation of student recruitment regulations already provides colleges and
universities with greater freedom to adjust the number of graduates to balance supply
with demand in the labour markets.
This increased institutional autonomy is balanced by new regulatory policies related
to quality assurance, evaluation, transparency and improved information for student
choice. It is widely acknowledged that Korean HEIs need to improve their capacity for
effective decentralised governance and management, and should be more accountable to
key stakeholders and the public for performance, quality and efficient use of resources.
This has led the government to introduce more targeted funding linked to specific
requirements for eligibility and institutional change (see below).

At the same time, the government has sought to increase transparency by improving
information on HEI performance (Box 3.11 describes the level of quality assurance and
public accountability in place until recently). In 2008, the University Information
Disclosure System was introduced; it includes information on graduate employment rates,
enrolment rates, full-time faculty, scholarships, research achievements, curricular
operation and school management. In this way, the government seeks to provide students
and parents with accurate information on each school and help them choose the
institutions that fit their needs. Furthermore, it is expected that the new system will
induce sound competition among HEIs and thereby facilitate their restructuring efforts.
Box 3.11. Quality assurance and public accountability of Korean universities

As the government pursues regulatory reform and seeks to increase institutional autonomy, development of an effective
system of quality assurance and public accountability is essential. Korea currently relies on four approaches to quality
assurance in tertiary education:
1. The MoE utilises an indirect means of quality assurance by supporting the work of non-governmental accrediting
organisations. These include the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE), the Korean Council for College
Education (KCCE), and specialised accrediting boards for medical, engineering and nursing education.
2. The MoE undertakes direct evaluations linked to institutional participation in targeted funding and initiatives. The
government includes an evaluation component in all funding initiatives related to tertiary education.
3. The Korean Education Development Institute (KEDI), a policy centre linked to the MoE, evaluates teacher education
programmes and undertakes special studies of the education system.
4. The daily newspaper, JoongAng Ilbo, publishes evaluations and rankings of institutions and programmes to guide
students and parents.
Source: OECD (2007), Korea: Progress in Implementing Regulatory Reform.
A different, though complementary approach to raising quality, in which engineering

faculties have sought to raise standards through a national accreditation system, is briefly
described in Box 3.12.
Box 3.12. The Accreditation Board of Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK)

The Accreditation Board of Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK) was founded in 1999 to ensure
that the quality of educational programmes in engineering and related disciplines meets the needs of changing
industrial demand. The accreditation is intended to enhance the professional competence of the graduates of
affiliated engineering programmes by giving the universities incentives to meet the quality standards of
engineering education that reflect industrial needs. It also reduces mismatches of demand for and supply of
graduates caused by insufficient information about the quality of engineering education. ABEEK has been
well received and was boosted by Samsung Electronics decision to preferentially hire job applicants who had
acquired the accreditation. As of 2006, ABEEK had accredited 2.5% of engineering and related programmes
in Korea. Furthermore, Korea has recently joined the Washington Accord,* which is expected to facilitate the
inward and outward international mobility of engineers.
* The Washington Accord is an agreement concluded in 1989 by organisations responsible for accreditation of professional engineering
educational programmes in six countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland) which
guarantees mutual recognition of one anothers accreditation of scholastic ability. As of 2006, Hong Kong (China), South Africa, Chinese
Taipei and Korea became regular members.

3.5.3. Promoting specialisation and linkages

The prospect of falling student numbers (on account of shifting demographics),
together with prospective students preference for universities in and around the Seoul
metropolitan area, has raised the question of the sustainability of several regional HEIs.
Matters have not been helped by many HEIs department store strategy of offering a
wide range of often mediocre courses. Furthermore, courses have tended to be unresponsive
to changing industrial needs, as linkages with industry have been traditionally weak. This
has led to relatively low employment rates among graduates of many regional HEIs and
has further intensified the preference for Seoul, thereby undermining efforts to achieve
more balanced regional development.
Box 3.13. New University for Regional Innovation (NURI) programme
The NURI programme was initiated in 2004 to strengthen the capabilities of colleges and universities
located outside the Seoul metropolitan area. Regional universities have experienced difficulties in recruiting
students owing to the socio-economic gap between the Seoul metropolitan area and other areas, and the low
probability of employment for graduates of regional universities. The NURI programme works by concentrating
support for universities on strategic areas of their region's economic development. It seeks to nurture an excellent
local labour force and to boost the employment rate of regional university graduates through specialised
education programmes and, in the process, to reduce brain drain towards Seoul.
The NURI programme is set to invest a total of USD 1.3 billion over five years (2004-08). According to
interim assessments, NURI shows visible progress in terms of facilitating local university specialisation,
enhancing student competitiveness for employment, and fostering collaboration between universities,
industries and local governments. For instance, full-time faculty provision rates reached over 90% in 2008
compared to just 64% in 2004 (Figure 3.10), while the employment rate of NURI graduates has improved
from around 60% in 2004 to 75% in 2008 (Figure 3.11). At the same time, some 2 300 revisions have been
made to curricula to reflect the demands of regional economies, while on-site training at major companies has
been made available to 21 169 trainees.
Figure 3.10. Full-time faculty in NURI Figure 3.11. Graduate employment among NURI
beneficiaries (%) beneficiaries (%)
100 80
90 75
70
80
65
70
60
60 55
50 50
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Source: MEST press release, 6 August 2008. Source: MEST press release, 6 August 2008.

Box 3.14. Education Research Industry Campus Asan (ERICA)

Industry-academia-research institution linkages have been encouraged by various kinds of regional innovation
clusters since the early 1970s. Among these is the Banwol/Shihwa Industrial Complex, where the Education
Research Industry Campus Asan (ERICA) is located. The goal of ERICA is to provide ways to improve
national/local components and parts industries. Education has been led by Hanyang University (HYU) which
aims to supply practical specialists through a tailored curriculum. R&D activities are led by the Korea
Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), the Korea Electro-Technology Research Institute, and the Korea
Testing Laboratory (KTL). Kyunggi Technopark fosters industry-university co-operation. HYU develops new
curricula to respond to new requirements of industry, government policy and the local community. The
programmes are characterised by links between university education and work sites, practical training
activities, invitations to researchers or instructors with practical experience, and student-centred autonomous
learning.
Box 3.15. HEIs and regional development

Emerging models of regional development emphasise development that is based on unique assets and
circumstances of the region as well as the development of knowledge-based industries. This has resulted in a
re-examination of the role of regional HEIs. A knowledge-based or learning economy requires a larger
number of graduates and an employment orientation in teaching. It also requires the provision of lifelong
learning opportunities for a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional learners. In the globalising
knowledge economy HEIs are seen as sources of knowledge and innovation and engines of growth and of
contributors to the economic, social and cultural development of their societies. This has meant that HEIs
must meet new expectations. The question is how to translate these into appropriate policy measures and
institutional reforms.
If HEIs are to contribute to regional economic development, they must engage with the regions and contribute
to the development of knowledge-intensive jobs so that graduates may find local employment and remain in
their communities. They must also respond to the needs of established firms in terms of skills upgrading and
technology transfer. HEIs are thus expected to be involved not only in the creation of knowledge, but also in
its application, often in co-operation with their local and regional communities. They are expected to take an
interdisciplinary approach to their activities and engage in partnerships with industry, with communities and
with a wide variety of stakeholders. These factors affect all aspects of the role of HEIs teaching, research
and community service.
The need for greater regional engagement and mutual development of capabilities is becoming widely
acknowledged. Many OECD countries have strengthened the regional role and contribution of higher
education. Often, the regional mission has been characterised as a part of a third task or social obligation of
HEIs. There is, however, a growing recognition that the third task must be integrated with longer-standing
teaching and research functions if higher educations contribution to students learning, to knowledge
exploitation by business, and to civil society in the region is to be maximised.
Source: OECD (2007), Higher Education and Regions, OECD, Paris.
The previous Korean government was very concerned about these problems and
started to pursue policies to promote increased specialisation, encourage HEI
consolidation and merger, and strengthen the links between HEIs and regions. From
2004, a number of prominent government schemes were put in place by MoE, including
university and junior college specialisation programmes and the New University for
Regional Innovation (NURI) programme (see Box 3.13). These schemes provide support
to HEIs for developing curricula for selected disciplines of comparative strength and
offering scholarships for students in those fields. They provide strong incentives for HEIs
to identify their strengths and to revise their curricula, strategic focus and missions
accordingly. Evaluation of these schemes points to substantial increases in graduate

employment rates over a relatively short time. Moreover, they seem to have spurred
competition for diversity and specialisation among HEIs.HEIs have been encouraged to
specialise in fields in which graduates are likely to find local employment opportunities,
thereby boosting the regional economy and relieving some of the pressure on Seoul.
While there are good examples of HEIs working closely with local industries and
research institutes (see Box 3.14), they are relatively rare. Accordingly, the specialisation
schemes sponsored by the government, including the NURI programme, insist that HEIs
work with firms and local governments on the redesign of curricula, thereby enhancing
their receptivity to demand signals. In addition, the government has funded the Industry-
Academic Co-operation programme to further bolster these linkages. These schemes
signal the governments view that HEIs should be sources of knowledge and engines of
growth, which contribute to the socio-economic development of their regions. This is a
view widely shared across OECD countries, as highlighted in Box 3.15.
Schemes such as NURI have led to a fundamental shift in the way HEIs are financed,
with a decrease in the percentage of formula funding for the operation of national and
public universities and an increase in the percentage of targeted funding for specialised
projects awarded through a competitive application and evaluation process. However, the
regulations to implement these projects add to the complexity of funding arrangements
and also limit HEIs freedom to distribute block grants according to their own strategies.
This was, of course, intentional, as the government believed the HEIs needed to be
steered to shift their strategies in more appropriate directions. However, the new
government has decided that formula funding will be re-instated and competitive targeted
funding abolished from 2009. Based on a non-competitive evaluation formula, MEST
will assess and award the best performing four-year universities according to eight group
divisions, by region (metropolitan/rural), size (large/medium/small) and specialty
(general/industrial). Two-year junior colleges will be assessed in two groups by regional
division (metropolitan/rural). Pre-determined quantitative indices will be used to evaluate
each HEIs educational achievement level and environmental status. Criteria will include
the graduate employment rate, ratio of student enrolment to total quota, share of full-time
faculty, scholarship coverage rate and educational expense per student. In this way, many
of the criteria used to determine funding under the targeted schemes are being
maintained, and the administrative autonomy of HEIs is increased.
3.5.4. Fostering research skills

Both MoST and MoE had schemes to foster the development of research skills.
Through KOSEF, MoST funded the National Science Scholarship scheme to support
outstanding undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science and technology
subjects. Each student receives around USD 7 000 a year for up to four years. In 2006,
22 000 students benefited from the scheme at a total cost of more than USD 230 million.
The scheme is now funded by MEST.
In 1999, the MoE launched (through KRF) the Brain Korea 21 (BK21) scheme aimed
at fostering world-class researchers. Over the first seven years of the scheme, the
government invested a total of USD 1.34 billion, with support provided for students in
selected masters and doctoral programmes, international exchange and co-operation, and
innovative curriculum development. The programme aimed at nurturing world-class
graduate schools with the capability to produce creative knowledge in strategically
important sectors for Korea. The research topics covered were classified into four subject

areas: applied science, art and social science, Korean indigenous science, and newly
emerging industries.
Despite criticism of favouritism towards a small number of large research-oriented
universities such as Seoul National University, BK21 is credited with having played a
pivotal role in enhancing Korean S&T capabilities. From 1999 to 2005, 6 602 students
obtained PhDs in S&T fields with the aid of the programme. The number of S&T SCI
papers written by beneficiaries of the programme increased from 3 765 in 1998 to 20 418
in 2006. Moreover, this quantitative increase came with qualitative improvements in the
impact factor per article, from 1.9 in 1998 to 2.43 in 2005.
As the first phase of the BK21 programme was judged a success, a second phase has
been implemented. From 2006 to 2012, a total of USD 2.3 billion will be invested in
graduate schools to nurture ten top research-oriented universities in key fields with a view
to joining the worlds elite universities in terms of SCI publication levels. To achieve this,
the government has focused its investment on more strategic S&T fields. The second
phase also emphasises university-industry linkages, with the hope of doubling technology
transfer rates over the lifetime of the scheme. Finally, the regional graduate school of
excellence programme is part of the second phase programme in order to foster balanced
growth of research capabilities among regions.
3.5.5. Improving vocational training

For vocational training, the need to raise perceptions of the levels of institutions and
qualifications is widely acknowledged. As the demand for bachelors degrees is unlikely
to diminish, this may mean making vocational training bachelors degree-level courses.
The Korean government would seem to be moving in this direction by allowing junior
colleges where a great deal of vocational training is conducted to award bachelors
degrees. Furthermore, under a new law, a junior college graduate who has been working
in a company related to their major for at least one year may apply for an expansion
programme in that field. This is designed to provide a path of continuing education for
adults, from junior college to employment and then to extended studies leading to a
higher degree. The expectation is that many graduates will study for a bachelors degree
part-time during employment.
The government is also planning to transform 50 vocational high schools into high-
quality Meister schools, to train qualified technicians in selected specialised fields.
Meister schools are expected to help tackle the problem of the decreasing numbers of
students in vocational high schools and also help overcome the financial difficulties of
schools committed to developing these technicians.
3.5.6. Moving towards lifelong learning

In recent years Korea has established important elements of a system of lifelong
learning. However, according to a 2005 OECD review of Korean adult education, these
elements were insufficiently connected and inadequately linked with the employment
system, and too few resources were allocated to adult learning. These criticisms were
widely shared by the Korean government, which, in late 2007 announced a roadmap to
enhance lifelong learning capacities as part of the Second Five-year Lifelong Learning
Promotion Plan (2008-12). This plan follows the completion of the first national lifelong
learning promotion plan (2002-06), and acknowledges the importance of facilitating

flexibility between work, study and leisure, in order to counter the lessening of hours of
learning per person as individuals grow older.
The plan encompasses two core strategies: developing lifelong learning tailored to the
practical needs of individuals at each stage of their life; and facilitating a lifelong learning
network that links all related organisations and programmes horizontally and vertically.
With regard to the latter, a new government body, the National Institute for Lifelong
Education, was launched in early 2008 to oversee and implement Koreas lifelong
learning policies. It integrated the existing Lifelong Education Centre and Credit Bank
Centre under the Korea Education Development Institute and the Individual Bachelors
Degree Examination Department under the Korea National Open University. By bringing
these three together into a single organisation, the Institute aims for greater consistency
and synergy in carrying out lifelong learning policies.
At the operational level, a number of schemes exist. In-company training and training
for the unemployed are financed through the employment insurance system. This is now
Koreas most important programme of incentives for training both employees and the
unemployed. The government also supports training consortia involving large and small
firms (see Box 3.16 for an example). The creation of correspondence high schools, cyber
colleges and the Korea National Open University offers opportunities to adults who have
no school-leaving qualification or who wish to return to study to obtain a college
qualification or university degree. Furthermore, National Technical Qualifications have
been developed for the various skill levels (from craftsman to professional engineer, and
for administrative services). Through the Academic Credit Bank System (see Box 3.17)
those who have participated successfully in courses at other institutions may also be
recognised, and credit points accumulated in various ways can be used to achieve
qualifications (OECD, 2005b). Finally, the government has recently put forward new
plans to encourage junior colleges and universities to establish courses that match the
learning needs of those already in work.
These initiatives no doubt improve the supply of lifelong learning opportunities open
to adult learners. However, there are still significant problems on the demand side: the
way in which the Korean labour market is structured constitutes one of the main barriers
to adult education as it offers too few incentives for lifelong learning. Individuals in
regular employment are paid in accordance with seniority rather than qualifications, and
irregular workers have no prospects of promotion, so that education/training brings them
few benefits (see Box 3.18).
Box 3.16. A training consortium: the Volvo Training Centre

In response to the low take-up of training grants by smaller enterprises, the Korean government is
supporting training consortia, whereby large enterprises organise training for SMEs. One example is Volvo,
which established a training centre for its suppliers in 2003. The consortiums training courses are financed
through the Employment Insurance System and are all approved by the Ministry of Labour. By 2004, Volvo,
the Ministry of Labour and more than a dozen suppliers were represented on the consortiums management
board, with training aimed at 1 023 Volvo suppliers. The training centre works in close co-operation with
Volvo and its suppliers and ensures a high level of technical and educational input, which the suppliers, most
of them small companies, would be unable to offer with their own in-company training. In the first year of
operation, over 600 workers participated in courses lasting between two days and one year. Half of the
participants have high-school-leaving qualifications.
Source: OECD (2005) Thematic Review of Adult Learning: Korea Country Note, OECD, Paris.

Box 3.17. Academic Credit Bank System

Established in 1998, the Academic Credit Bank System (ACBS) is an open educational system that
recognises diverse learning experiences gained not only in school but also out of school. When the learner
accumulates the necessary ACBS-approved credits, he/she can be awarded a degree. In 2008, nearly
20 000 bachelors degrees were conferred on non-regular learners who had successfully acquired the
necessary credits. The number of degree awardees has been increasing steadily over the years to a total of
nearly 110 000 by 2008. With over 80% of all degree achievers aged 25 and older, the system serves as an
important means of providing adult learners with lifelong education opportunities.
Source: MEST website (http://english.mest.go.kr), accessed August 2008.
Box 3.18. A need to better integrate the employment and education systems
Access to non-formal and informal learning depends not so much on decisions the individual makes about
training, but rather on work organisation in enterprises and mobility prospects on the labour market.
Opportunities for lifelong learning cannot be increased simply by improving learning opportunities within the
education system. As most adults are in employment, people will only take advantage of these opportunities if
an adequate number of incentives and adequate provision are embedded in the employment system. Lifelong
learning can be successful only in association with adequate education and training opportunities for adults
and with an employment system that promotes learning.
Source: OECD (2005) Thematic Review of Adult Learning: Korea Country Note, OECD, Paris.
In the area of HRST, the former MoST recently launched a new programme for life-
cycle support of HRST (known as Injae-Jigi in Korean), which aims to support S&T
talents from primary education through to retirement. The programme includes subsidies
for unemployed S&T workers and an increase in on-the-job training for R&D workers as
well as industrial technology workers.
3.5.7. Enhancing gender balance

While the graduation rates of women in S&E subjects is close to the OECD average,
many fail to take up employment in the field. There are a number of explanations for this,
some unique to or at least unusually severe in Korea. They include: i) the largest gender
wage differentials in the OECD area; ii) the fact that 60% of female S&E professionals
are on temporary contracts, and thus with fewer prospects for career advancement,
compared to 25% of their male counterparts; iii) the domination of Korean S&T by
traditionally male-oriented fields, such as engineering; iv) a family-unfriendly long-hours
culture; and v) traditional views on the role of women in Korean society. These reasons
are in addition to the usual factors seen across OECD countries that militate against
higher levels of female participation in S&E careers, including childbirth career breaks
and childcare responsibilities.
With so many contributory causes, approaches for solving the gender imbalance in
S&T need to be comprehensive and multifaceted. Before 2002, the Korean government
had few policies in place for addressing this issue, but this changed with the Act on
Fostering and Supporting Women in Science and Technology. This legislation seeks to
strengthen the capacity of women in science, engineering and technology and has
heralded the establishment of various centres and initiatives funded by several ministries.
The initiatives that have been started are wide-ranging and reflect a high degree of
international learning (see Box 3.19), with programmes aimed at attracting more females
to S&E careers, recruitment targets set for some parts of the public sector, and favourable

point systems for research project selection. Some of these schemes are further described
below.
Box 3.19. Policies to promote female participation in science across the OECD area
Against a background of growing demand for HRST, policy makers have started to pay greater attention
to encouraging women to pursue careers in S&T. Women have increased their numbers in higher education
and the workforce, but their participation in science education and S&T careers remains low in comparison to
men, especially at senior levels, and wide discrepancies exist across scientific fields. OECD countries are
addressing the issue of womens participation in science to varying degrees. Most have specific programmes
which aim to achieve a better gender balance in science education and research. Measures range from grants
to support positions for women at universities, gender-neutral performance assessment to preferential policies
towards equally qualified women candidates and mentoring programmes. On the employment side, equal
opportunity policies, flexible working hours, access to childcare and parental leave are used to encourage
women to pursue research careers in the public and private sectors.
Source: Basri (2008), Enhancing the Role of Tertiary Education in Research and Innovation, in OECD (2008), Tertiary Education for
the Knowledge Society, Vol. 2, OECD, Paris.
As part of the new legislation to improve the position of women in S&T, the National
Institute for Supporting Women in Science and Technology (NIS-WIST) was established
in 2004 and there are now a further four regional institutes in Korea. Its tasks include
investigation and research in support of policies for fostering and supporting women in
S&T; education, training, and consulting; and the provision of employment information.
It has conducted several reviews and statistical analyses of the situation of women in
S&T and divides government policies and programmes into three broad categories,
according to their objective: programmes for fostering female S&T resources;
programmes that encourage utilisation of female S&T resources; and programmes that
support female scientists, engineers and technologists. Using this categorisation, the main
programmes pertaining to women in science are listed in Table 3.15. On account of space
limitations, just a few of these programmes are considered here.
The Recruitment Target System (RTS) for Women in S&T and the RTS for Female
Faculty (see below) have perhaps had the most visible impact over the short term. The
former was started in 2003 by MoST and set recruitment targets in 99 public institutes
(including 25 GRIs). The long-term target is for 30% of all new recruits to be women
across all 99 institutes, with a short-term target (to 2010) of 25%. Different targets have
been set for different types of institutes, with the GRIs aiming overall for 20% female
recruitment by 2010 although different GRIs have different targets, with the more
engineering-oriented institutes typically having much lower targets (as low as 5%) while
the biological sciences institutes have targets as high as 30%. As Figure 3.12 shows, the
policy has had some success, with a 6.4% increase in the female recruitment rate across
the 99 institutes in the period 2003-07. This brought the recruitment rate to 24.6% in
2007, just short of the 2010 target of 25%. The picture is less impressive for the 25 GRIs,
which have seen a 4.6% increase over the same period and a recruitment rate of 15.0% in
2007, still some way from the 2010 target of 20%. Furthermore, the rates of female
employment are still chronically low and the overwhelming majority of women scientists
remain on temporary contracts.
Turning to the universities, the MoE established the RTS for Female Faculty in 2003
with the aim of improving recruitment rates in national and public universities. As Figure
3.13 shows, during the time prior to the implementation of the programme, from 1999 to
2002, the ratio of female faculty in national and public universities increased by only

0.6%. After implementation of the programme, the rate of increase jumped threefold from
2003 to 2006. As of 2006, the ratio of the female faculty is still at a low 11.0% but the
programme would seem to be having positive effects.
Figure 3.12. Share of female recruitment in 99 PROs Figure 3.13. Share of female faculty in national
(including 25 GRIs) during the and public universities before and after the
RTS for Women in S&T programme implementation in 2003 of the faculty RTS
99 institutes (total) 25 GRIs 11.5

30 11
25 10.5
20 10
15 9.5
10 9
5 8.5
0 8
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: NIS-WIST (2007), Women in Science and Technology: Why Source: NIS-WIST (2007), Women in Science and Technology: Why
and How Must They Be Supported? Strategic Report, National Institute and How Must They Be Supported? Strategic Report, National
for Supporting Women in Science and Technology, Seoul. Institute for Supporting Women in Science and Technology, Seoul.
Figure 3.14. Share of female project managers Figure 3.15. Share of female project managers in
(PM) in basic research projects and various organisations
grant amounts
Female PM ratio S&E universities Public R&D centres Private R&D centres
9
Ratio of grant amount of projects with female PM 8
15 7
6
5
10 4
3
5 2
1
0 0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2004 2005 2006
Source: NIS-WIST (2007), 2007 Report on Women in Science and Source: NIS-WIST (2007), 2007 Report on Women in Science and
Engineering, National Institute for Supporting Women in Science Engineering, National Institute for Supporting Women in Science
and Technology, Seoul. and Technology, Seoul.
Other programmes offer support to female scientists using point award systems,
whereby project proposals with various levels of female participation score extra points in
proposal assessments. The best-known point award system is associated with the Basic
Science Research Programme and was introduced by MoST in 2003 and further enhanced
in 2005. It awards extra points (on a sliding scale) to proposals with female project
managers and female participation. As Figure 3.14 shows, the scheme seems to have had
some positive effects, with an increase in the share of female project managers from 5.9%
in 2003 to 14.0% in 2007. This compares favourably to an average of 6.9% across all
R&D projects funded during 2006 (with some variation between types of S&T
organisation (see Figure 3.15). On the other hand, the ratio of the grant amount on

projects for which females were project managers fails to show a similar increase (see
Figure 3.14), which signifies that the projects in which females are project managers tend
to be small in scale. Furthermore, growth in the ratio of female project managers seems to
have stalled in the last few years (see Figure 3.15), suggesting that additional steps may
be required to spur further growth.
Table 3.15. Major policies pertaining to women in S&T, 2007
Government
Objective Policy project title
branch
WISE Project MEST
Scholarship for Outstanding Female Students in S&E MEST
Support Programme for Leading Universities in Engineering Programmes for Female

MEST
Fostering Students
WATCH21 Project MEST
University IT Research Centre Support Project

MEST
(Point Award System)
Recruitment Target System for Women in S&T MEST
Recruitment Target System for Female Faculty MEST
Utilisation Project to Increase Female Participation in Committees MoGE
Affirmative Action for Employment Improvement MoL
Promotion Target System for Women in S&T MEST
Support Centre for Women in S&T: WIST MEST
Daedeok Research Complex Infant & Childcare Centre Construction Project MEST
Basic Science Research Project / Specialised R&D Project (Point Award System) MEST
Support Project for Female Scientist

- Support Project for Fostering Outstanding Female Scientist MEST
Support - Support Project for Enhancing Competitiveness of Outstanding Female Scientist
University IT Research Centre Support Project

MIC
Project to Increase IT Professors in Korea

MIC
Commissioner for Woman Scientists & Engineers MEST

Source: NIS-WIST (2007), 2007 Report on Women in Science and Engineering, National Institute for Supporting Women in Science and
Technology, Seoul.
Thus, there are signs that these policies are having some effect, but progress is slow
and from a low base. NIS-WIST (2007) has therefore called for further measures to effect
a more pronounced shift in the system. These include:

Affirmative action to improve female participation, including an enhanced

recruitment and promotion target system, an enhanced point award system, and
quotas for female enrolment in engineering universities.
Policies to support the transformation of institutes, including competitive grants
and tax breaks for institutes with outstanding plans to better utilise and support
female scientists and engineers.
Policies to support maternity and childcare, including a research fund for women
returning to work after childbirth, a childcare support programme, and the
construction of further childcare facilities, particularly within high-technology
clusters.
The extent to which the government will heed these calls is uncertain. Clearly, it will
take considerable time to enact the changes that are needed to significantly increase
female participation rates, but failure to do so is likely to prove costly to Koreas future
development.
3.6. Knowledge diffusion and linkages
Besides supporting the creation of new technologies, it is important for government

policy to facilitate the adoption and adaptation or further development of existing
technologies. This brings to the fore the importance of linkages across the innovation
system, particularly between public and private partners, with special emphasis on SMEs.
In this section, efforts at promoting public/private partnerships (P/PPs) are considered,
together with policies directed at enhancing the innovation capabilities of SMEs.
3.6.1. Promoting public/private partnerships

The Korean government has encouraged P/PPs in R&D since the early 1990s through
a rich variety of measures administered by several ministries and agencies (Table 3.16).
One is the Law on Fostering Industrial Education and Industry-University Co-operation
(2003), which, by 2005, had seen the establishment of 333 industry-university co-operation
offices (IUCOs) in Korean universities and colleges (Table 3.17). These institutes draw
up contracts between firms and universities, stipulating management of budgets and
patents; foster technology transfers; operate business incubators; and support research
institutes within HEIs or located in industrial districts.
Besides IUCOs and the like, several long-established bridging institutes play
important intermediary roles in the innovation system. The three types are grouped
according to their roles and sources of funding:
Government-funded bridging institutes which can be classified as diffusion-
oriented intermediary organisations. These are legally independent organisations,
but are strongly influenced by the government, not least through their sources of
funding. Their missions vary depending upon their funding ministries and their
intended roles. Box 3.20 describes a bridging institute of this type.
Privately funded bridging institutes which are financed by private firms and focus
on linking government and firms mainly to serve the interests of their member
companies. They are primarily involved in the development of an industrial sector.
Some institutes of this type are established by government in order to channel
policy ideas and implementation. Others are established by leading companies in a

sector to protect their interests. These bridging institutes are usually obliged to
register at a relevant ministry, although they do not receive government support.
As of 2007, 201 industrial associations were registered with the government. Some
are briefly described in Box 3.21.
Self-funding bridging institutes which are mainly professional societies such as
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and academic associations composed of
university professors and researchers. While such institutes often receive donations
from private firms and some grants from the government for specific activities, a
relatively high proportion of their budget comes from voluntary membership fees.
However, membership in these institutes is generally weak, which limits their
ability to perform a strong and dynamic bridging role, despite expectations to the
contrary. Three such organisations are described in Box 3.22.
Table 3.16. Government policy programmes that support P/PPs, 2006
Technology development R&D personnel Technology transfer Support for new business
MoST - Designation of national labs - National core research centres - National S&T information - Business incubators of
- Excellent research centres - Support for foreign MA & PhD system KAIST, CGRIs, etc.
- Basic research centres for medical - National research centres for
science mathematical science
- International co-operative R&D - Basic research centres for
nanotechnology
- Education centre for research
personnel
MoCIE - Development of industrial technology - Labour force for industrial - Diffusion of R&D outcomes - Technoparks
- Building industrial technology base technology - Support for leading TLOs - Specialised regional
- Next-generation growth engine - Industrially oriented university - Development of dual use innovation
technologies - Regional research centres technology - Business incubators for
- Nano cluster (RRC) new technologies
- Regional technology innovation - Labour force for energy
technology
- Fostering strategic industry of regions
- New technology fusion
- Designation of national lab
- International co-operative R&D
MIC - Development of strategic IT - Excellent research personnel - Diffusion of R&D outcomes - Designation of new IT
- Development of next-generation core - Specialised IT education technologies
IT - Global IT personnel
SMBA - Industry-university-research co- - Support for hiring young - Support for - Business incubators
operative technology development employees commercialisation by SMEs - Graduate schools for new
- Technology development with - Internships of SMEs business
industries - New technology-based
business package
MoE - Support for core research institutes
Source: MoST (2006b), National R&D Programs 2006, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.
Table 3.17. Establishment of industry-university co-operation offices, 2005
Universities Colleges
Total
Public Private Sum Public Private Sum
46 133 179 15 139 154 333
Source: KRF (2006), White Book on University-Industry Co-operation, Korea Research Foundation, Seoul.

Box 3.20. Korea Technology Transfer Centre (KTTC)

Established to implement the aims of the Technology Transfer Promotion Act 2000, the Korea Technology
Transfer Centre (KTTC) promotes technology transfer by bringing together technology users and suppliers. It
conducts a range of activities, including technology transfer brokerage, M&A brokerage for SMEs, consulting
for new business and commercialisation strategies, technology marketing, domestic network building, operation
of overseas technology transfer programmes, and technology business incubating programmes. It has set up
regional technology transfer centres in eight major regions of Korea and has tried to globalise its activities by
networking with 16 overseas organisations. It has also launched an online valuation system known as OK-
Value.
As Table 3.18 shows, the KTTC reported arranging 1 001 technology transfers during the period 2000-05.
Nevertheless, the rate of technology transfer remains low at around 12% in the private sector over the
period with KIPO reporting that about half the patents owned by private firms are sleeping. This
exploitation gap is largely due to the underdevelopment of patent management systems, especially in SMEs.
Table 3.18. Technology transfer and commercialisation by the KTTC
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Total
Sales 68 40 34 42 33 67 284
Evaluations 35 53 115 134 120 170 627
Investments 10 13 10 2 6 1 42
M&A/consulting 3 2 5 10 10 18 48
Total 116 108 164 188 169 256 1 001
Source: KTTC website (www.kttc.or.kr/eng/main.asp), accessed June 2008.
Box 3.21. Selection of privately financed bridging institutes

Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA). Acts as an intermediary between government and
industry, voicing the concerns and desires of companies with R&D institutes. KOITA has recommended and
suggested policies to the government that are in line with industrys technological development efforts and
has put them into practice. It has also sought to enhance international co-operation with overseas counterparts
and to bolster technology transfer to developing countries. KOITA also provides education, training and
consulting services to researchers and R&D planning experts, offering companies the latest information on
technology development and management trends.
Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA). Established by leading auto makers in 1988 in
order to play a bridging role between government and the automobile industry. It has recommended industrial
policies to the government for improving auto-related systems and regulations. It promotes international co-
operation with major trading counterparts, administers trade-related systems and represents members
interests in international markets. It has also carried out environmental and safety-related activities, providing
policy recommendations on certification, safety standards, fuel economy and exhaust emission standards, and
self-certification systems. It has also organised a human resource development council for the automobile
industry.
Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA). Founded by leading semiconductor producers in 1991,
KSIAs primary objective is to advance technological developments in Koreas semiconductor industry. It has
provided opportunities for promoting co-operation among its members and members of international
organisations in the areas of device, equipment and material suppliers and has sought to facilitate the balanced
development of Koreas semiconductor-related industries. KSIA has also arranged domestic and foreign
industry/academia joint research projects on advanced technology and has formulated a long-term
development plan for Koreas semiconductor industry.

Box 3.22. Selection of self-funding bridging institutes

The Korea Institute of Metals and Materials (KIM). Established in 1949, KIM has carried out a wide range
of activities in academic areas as well as in practical fields to build a foundation for the metals and materials
field in Korea. Major activities include making space for academic exchanges and business networking and
providing information on domestic market trends and industrial property rights.
Korea Institute of Chemical Engineering (KIChE). Founded in 1962 as a scientific, engineering and
professional organisation dedicated to the advancement of the theory and application of chemical engineering
technology, KIChE had (as of 2007) more than 5 000 members, nine regional sections and 13 technical
divisions. It endeavours to improve the technological level in academia and promotes the development of
technology through educational-industrial co-operation. It also publishes a number of regular journals and
newsletters.
Korean Society for Innovation Management and Economics (KOSIME). Established in 1992, KOSIME
aims to diffuse innovation theories to achieve effective management of innovation at the level of private
firms, government and public organisations. It also aims to develop strategies and policies associated with
innovation, science and technology for the central government as well as for local governments in order to
promote a science- and technology-led society. It has around 500 members including professors, graduate
students, researchers, government officials and industrialists with an interest in innovation management.
Taken together, all of these measures and institutional arrangements represent an

impressive array of activities concerned with knowledge (and technology) transfer.
However, there are criticisms that such efforts are inadequate, particularly when
compared to the far more substantial activity of knowledge creation: the equivalent of just
1% of the public research budget is devoted to technology transfer and commercialisation
activities. The fragmentation of such activities across several ministries and agencies is
also a point of concern. While this may offer advantages for example, in terms of scope
for experimentation, and perhaps a better ability to provide bespoke solutions to
individual sectors these are likely to be outweighed by the disadvantages associated
with a lack of critical mass, and overlaps and gaps in support. The consolidation of
innovation-supporting ministries and agencies should therefore be taken as an opportunity
to better streamline the various activities under way. Finally, the infrastructure of
technology transfer remains weak in that reliable systems for evaluating new technologies
are under-developed. This problem is discussed further in section 3.7.
3.6.2. Support for research and innovation in SMEs

Although the situation shows some recent signs of improvement, a structural
imbalance in innovation between larger companies and SMEs remains, with the resources
and outputs of innovative activities heavily concentrated in a few large companies. The
key is to further develop supporting industries and technologies in which SMEs play a
critical role. In this context, strong producer-user interactions, which are an essential
source of innovation and technology utilisation, need to be built. But this has proven
difficult in Korea, where the stable relationships between large business groups and
SMEs (as in the Japanese keiretsu), or between multinational enterprises/public research
institutes and SMEs (as in Chinese Taipei) have not been established (Lim, 2005). This
gap has led several government agencies to pursue various types of cluster policies,
which are discussed in section 3.9.

Box 3.23. Main SMBA programmes in support of technological innovation in SMEs

To strengthen the innovation capabilities of SMEs, SMBA is pursuing various policies to: foster innovative
SMEs; reinforce the networking of industry, academia and research institutes; and promote the commerciali-
sation of developed technology. Some of its main programmes are:
Fostering Innovative SMEs (Inno-Biz). Prospective SMEs with technology development and innovation
capabilities are designated as Inno-Biz and fostered as a core engine of growth. Under this scheme, the
SMBA identifies innovative SMEs with superior technologies which are able to raise their technological level
through their own technological innovation system. The purpose is to ensure that they will develop into global
blue-chip firms by providing comprehensive support through schemes such as technology assurance and
preferential treatment for credit loans.
Korea Small Business Innovation Research (KOSBIR) system. Under this system, government ministries
and government-financed institutions are required to allocate at least 5% of their R&D budget to support
SMEs technology development and to cover R&D expenses of SMEs capable of separately developing
technology. SMBA spent approximately USD 920 million in 2005 on this system.
SMEs Technology Innovation Programme. SMEs capable of developing technologies without support can
recover up to 75% of the expense of developing new products or enhancing product quality. The financing
ceiling is USD 300 000 for two years for strategic tasks or USD 100 000 for one year for general tasks. Under
this programme, the SMBA supported 1 912 SMEs in 2005 alone.
Industry-University-Research Consortium Programme. Various policy measures have been put in place to
reinforce networking for technological innovation among enterprises or among industry, academia and
research institutes. The measures include the Industry-University-Research Consortium Programme, which
seeks to boost the technological capabilities of manufacturing SMEs through collaborative technological
development with universities or GRIs. About 220 consortia were formed in 2005, to support 2 700 SMEs in
developing new technologies.
Transferred Technology Development Project. This project aims to prevent superior technologies from
being discarded and to enhance the technological innovation capabilities of SMEs. To this end, the SMBA
covers the additional development costs required to commercialise transferred technologies owned by
universities, research institutes and businesses. In 2005, the SMBA supported about 90 such tasks.
Source: SMBA website (www.smba.go.kr/smba/main/english/index.jsp), accessed December 2007.
In addition, there has been a drive to promote research capacities in SMEs, with the
government initiating a broad array of incentive schemes including direct R&D funding,
tax waivers, tariff exemption for R&D equipment, and exemption from military service
for research personnel. Indeed, in a wide-ranging analysis of Korean technology
promotion policy measures, STEPI (2006) identified more than 250 government
programmes, the vast majority of which targeted innovation by SMEs. These included
business incentive policies, public R&D programmes, and even infrastructure policies
and were under the authority of a variety of ministries and agencies, including MoCIE,
MoST, MIC and the Small and Medium Business Administration (SMBA). The latter,
which was founded in 1996, operates several schemes to support SMEs, covering areas
such as entrepreneurship, human resources, financing, marketing and innovation. A
selection of its innovation promotion support schemes, aimed largely at existing (as
opposed to start-up) SMEs, is provided in Box 3.23.
Besides encouraging existing SMEs to innovate and conduct their own R&D, another
popular policy approach with many governments has been to catalyse the development of
new (often high-technology and/or innovative) firms, for example, through university
spin-offs. In the immediate aftermath of the Asian financial crisis, the government
enacted the Special Law to Promote Venture Firms (1998) with a view to achieving

economic recovery through the creation of knowledge-intensive SMEs. The law was later
revised to include some articles for activating spin-offs from public research institutes
and universities. Under this law, professors and researchers can obtain a temporary
release of up to three years from their home universities and institutes for running a
venture business. The law also allows professors and researchers to locate their operations
in the laboratories of their home universities and research institutes. The SMBA has been
responsible for pursuing policies to promote spin-offs from universities and research
institutes. One prominent policy is the Incubation Centre Promotion programme. In 2007,
the SMBA provided around USD 15 million for 278 incubation centres, located mostly
on university campuses. Around 4 000 venture companies are currently located in these
incubators and have benefited from financial support and consulting services. Researchers
and professors with more than five years experience running spin-offs from universities
and research institutes which employ fewer than ten workers qualify to apply for this
programme.
In sum, government intervention in support of research and innovation in SMEs is
extensive. Thousands of new private research institutes have been established in SMEs
and thousands of venture firms have been established as well, many of which are spin-
offs from HEIs and GRIs. To some extent, however, the increasingly powerful
performance of the largest companies and the spectacular growth in their R&D activities
has tended to mask these successes.
3.7. Improving the framework conditions for innovation
Besides their direct spending on research, governments are increasingly paying

attention to improving the framework conditions for innovation. The Korean government
is no exception in this regard and has introduced new legislation and programmes that
deal with tax incentives for innovation, innovation financing, intellectual property rights
regimes, and the building of lead markets through public procurement of products and
services. This section discusses each of these topics in turn.
3.7.1. Tax credit schemes

In 2007, 21 OECD countries offered tax relief for business R&D, up from 12 in 1995
(18 in 2004), and most have tended to make it more generous over the years. The appeal
of R&D tax credits stems from their non-discriminatory nature in terms of research and
technology fields or industrial sectors. As Figure 3.16 shows, Koreas tax treatment of
R&D is among the more generous. It is also interesting to note that large firms seem to
benefit more than SMEs, a situation apparently unique to Korea among the countries
surveyed.
Prior to the 1990s, direct financial support was the preferred instrument of the Korean
government. That is not to say that tax incentives were non-existent; on the contrary, the
Korean government made strategic use of tax incentives to encourage technology imports
during the period of catch-up. But by the 1990s, tax incentives had become progressively
more important and their focus had clearly shifted towards encouraging the development
of indigenous technological capabilities. Among these were tax credits for technology
and expenses for labour force development, tax exemption for the real estate of private
enterprises affiliated research centres, tax exemption for research devices and samples,
and duty abatement or exemption on goods for research.

Figure 3.16. Tax treatment of R&D in OECD and non-member countries1 (2007)
0.4
Large firms
0.35
SMEs
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
-0.05
-0.1
1. Tax subsidy to R&D calculated as 1 minus the b-index, defined as the present value of before tax income necessary to cover the initial cost of
R&D investment and to pay corporate income tax.
Source: Warda (2007), Generosity of Tax Incentives, presentation at the TIP Workshop on R&D Tax Treatment in OECD Countries:
Comparisons and Evaluations, 10 December, Paris, based on national sources.
More recently, tax incentives for S&T innovation have continued to evolve. For
example, since 1992, tax incentives for large firms have been progressively reduced
because large firms R&D activities no longer appear to warrant strong support from
government policy interventions. Other changes have aimed at improving the targeting of
tax incentives towards innovation policy goals. The targets include: i) the service
industries, especially those that are software-related, as the services sectors economic
importance has increased; ii) raising the R&D personnel tax exemption in view of the
importance of human resources in the knowledge-based economy; and iii) strengthening
the tax exemption for industry-academic R&D collaboration in order to promote
technology transfer and open innovation. Moreover, various tax incentives for HRST,
such as income tax deductions for researchers, special tax treatment for foreign HRST,
income tax exemptions for research expenses, and temporary tax exemption for HRST
sent abroad have been implemented. Currently, a total of 17 tax incentive measures are in
operation to promote private R&D activities. Box 3.24 presents a selection of these.

Box 3.24. Selection of tax incentive measures for increasing business innovation capacity
Tax credit for research and labour force development costs: ex post credit against corporate tax or income
tax on research and labour force development costs for each taxable year at a prescribed rate (Article 10 of the
Tax Exemption Limitation Act).
Tax credit for equipment investment related to research and labour force development: credit against
tax on equipment investment related to research and labour force development or new technology
commercialisation at a prescribed rate (Article 11 of the Tax Emption Limitation Act).
Local tax breaks related to real estate for enterprise research institute annexes: local taxes (acquisition,
registration and property taxes) related to real estate waived for enterprise research institute annexes
(Article 282 of the Local Tax Act).
Income tax credit for the R&D activity costs of SME researchers: credit against taxable income of a
specific amount if personnel in charge of research at an SME research institute receive funds for research
activity expenses as per the wage regulations (Article 38 of the Enforcement Decree of the Income Tax Act).
Customs exemption or reduction for goods for industrial technology R&D: reduction and exemption for
80% of the customs duty imposed on machines, tools and materials for R&D as separately announced among
advanced machines, tools and materials imported and reagents, parts, goods, raw materials and samples for
R&D (Article 90 of the Customs Act).
Source: MoST (2007b), Innovation for the Future: Science and Technology in Korea, Ministry of Science and Technology, Seoul.
More specifically, the R&D tax credit scheme has undergone many changes over the
past 15 years (Table 3.19). It has two forms: an incremental tax credit available to large
firms and a volume-based tax credit. SMEs can claim one or the other (but not both) of
these credits. In 2005, 22% of large firms and 44% of SMEs surveyed benefited from the
tax credit. The average tax credit in 2005 was USD 5.9 million for large firms and
USD 0.13 million for SMEs.
Table 3.19. History of the Korean tax credit scheme
1991 10% volume tax credit of R&D expenditure +10% incremental tax credit (large firm)
10% volume tax credit of R&D expenditure +15% incremental tax credit (SME)
1992 5% volume tax credit of R&D expenditure +25% incremental tax credit (large firm)
10% volume tax credit of R&D expenditure +25% incremental tax credit (SME)
1993 5% tax credit of R&D expenditure (15% for SME) or 50% incremental tax credit
1999 Changed base periods from two previous years to four previous years in incremental tax credit
2001 Only 50% incremental tax credit applied for large size firm
2003 Only 40% incremental tax credit applied for large size firm
2004 Reduced upper limit of corporate income tax rate to 10% from 12% for SME and to 13% from 15% for large firm
2007 Abolished reserve fund for R&D expenditure
Extended sunset periods towards 2009
Source: Song (2007), The impact of fiscal incentives for R&D investment in Korea, Presentation at the TIP Workshop on R&D Tax
Treatment in OECD Countries: Comparisons and Evaluations, 10 December, Paris.

There is an extensive literature on the role and effectiveness of tax incentives as a

promoter of R&D investment. While evaluations have produced widely varying findings,
there is clear agreement on the effectiveness of tax credits for stimulating R&D:
additional tax credits will normally produce additional R&D expenditure and will
generally be cost-effective. In terms of the choice between tax credits and government
subsidies through grants, the research clearly demonstrates that the tax credit is preferred
(by businesses) and is the most influential of all forms of government support. The tax
credit is also preferable in terms of incurring the lowest level of compliance costs
(Sawyer, 2005). A detailed analysis of Korean programmes to promote industrial R&D
seems to confirm these findings (Song, 2007): for large firms at least, R&D subsidies
have relatively limited influence; tax credits are a more effective way of encouraging
R&D. More controversially for Korean policy, the same study suggests that for smaller
firms, subsidies operate mainly to support R&D that would have been performed anyway,
i.e. there is no additionality, while tax credits also have a limited impact.
3.7.2. Improving innovation financing

Most government financial support for technological innovation in the private sector
employs loan financing and loan guarantee programmes (Table 3.20). It seeks to address
a market failure concerning information asymmetry and collateral problems associated
with bank financing of high-technology SMEs. Such support started in the late 1970s
when the government set up special-purpose banks and funds. For example, the Korean
Development Bank (KDB) started a loan programme for technology development in
1976, while SMBA set up a loan programme for SMEs technology development in 1977.
As demand for indigenous technological development increased in the 1980s, financing
supports for R&D investment and commercialisation were developed further, with the
SME Bank (now Corporate Bank) and the Kookmin Bank starting loan programmes for
the private sector.
Besides banks loan programmes, SMEs can borrow policy funds from the SMBA
at low interest rates to promote investment in facilities, restructuring, commercialisation
of new technologies, and to assist start-up activities. The total policy funds allocated in
2005 amounted to more than USD 3 billion. For indirect financing services, the SMBA
also provides a security assurance service for SMEs ineligible for bank loans owing to a
lack of collateral and technology. This service allows these SMEs to borrow needed funds
from the KCGF (Korea Credit Guarantee Fund) and its local offices and from the Kibo
Technology Fund (see Box 3.25). Significantly, these organisations conduct technology
appraisals, thereby increasing the transparency of opportunities and risks associated with
new technology investments. This transparency should in turn increase the supply of new
technology-based enterprises for banks and other investors (including venture capitalists)
to invest in, as well as help to overcome one of the key barriers to technology transfer.

Table 3.20. Public financial support programmes for private innovation, 2005
Expenditure in
Supporting Technology innovation
Ministry Project name 2005
tool stage
(KRW millions)
Small and Medium Loan Development and Supporting Development and Intellectual 92 441
Business Administration commercialisation Property Technology Commercialisation
(small business
corporation)
Small and Medium Loan Development and Supporting Small and Medium Venture 428 340
Business Administration commercialisation Establishment
(small business
corporation)
Small and Medium Joint Development and Financing Establishment Investment 150 000
Business Administration investment commercialisation Association
(small business
corporation)
Ministry of Commerce, Loan Development and Financing Industry Technology Development 100 000
Industry and Energy commercialisation
Ministry of Commerce, Joint Development and Financing Parts and Materials Investment 3 000
Industry and Energy investment commercialisation Association
Ministry of Information and Loan Development and Applied Technology Development Supporting 195 000
Communication commercialisation Project
Ministry of Science and Loan Development and Research Development Financing Project 88 000
Technology commercialisation
Korean Intellectual Loan Development and International Application Promotion 1 173
Property Office commercialisation
Korean Intellectual Loan Development and Intellectual Property Transfer Promotion 914
Property Office commercialisation
Ministry of Culture and Loan Development and Financing Culture Product Development 21 546
Tourism commercialisation
Ministry of Environment Loan Development and Financing Fostering Recycling Industry 70 000
commercialisation
Ministry of Gender Loan Development and Supporting Women Technician Establishing 10 000
Equality and Family commercialisation Firms
Sum 1 160 414
Source: STEPI (2006), R&D Scoreboard, Science and Technology Policy Institute, Seoul.

Box 3.25. The Kibo Technology Fund

The mission of the Kibo Technology Fund is to contribute to the national economy by providing credit
guarantees to facilitate financing for new technology-based enterprises while promoting the growth of
technologically strong SMEs and venture businesses. It has three main functions, namely technology guarantee,
technology appraisal and business consultation. The first two of these are further described below.
The technology guarantee scheme aims to encourage financial institutions to lend to SMEs with viable
projects and good prospects of success but which are unable to provide adequate collateral or which do not have a
suitable record of financial transactions to prove their creditworthiness. The usual process of technology guarantee
schemes is as follows. A potential borrower who cannot meet a banks lending criteria which usually means the
borrower cannot provide satisfactory collateral is referred by banks to Kibo. Bank branch staff carry out an
independent appraisal of the loan guarantee application to investigate the borrowers creditworthiness, the use to
which the loan is to be put, the borrowers prospective ability to service the debt, and above all, the quality of the
technology. In most cases, the banks rely on investigation and approval by Kibo for their decision on the extension
of a loan. If it is found that the case is suitable for a guarantee, the borrower returns to the bank with a letter of
guarantee issued by Kibo and takes out the loan. Usually, the guarantee involves the payment of a guarantee fee, the
amount of which depends on the amount being guaranteed. Since its foundation, Kibo has provided a total of more
than USD 100 billion worth of guarantees to SMEs that possess prominent technology and business prospects but
lack security for financing.
Meanwhile, in order to provide objective and fair evaluation on an intangible asset (technology), Kibo has
operated technology appraisal centres (TACs). The Korean government has accredited TACs as technology
evaluation institutions under the Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of Venture Businesses, the Invention
Promotion Act, and the Foreign Investment Promotion Act. Each TAC has specialised teams in charge of various
industries, including machinery, electrical appliances and electronics, telecommunications, materials and metals,
chemical engineering, etc. The heads of each team are either appraisal experts with doctoral degrees in engineering
and business administration, technical experts, or certified public accountants. Each team also includes members
with expertise and practical experience in credit investigation and evaluation of business prospects. In addition to
these in-house experts, TACs manage a pool of specialists which includes professors and technical experts from
both private and public institutions to secure objectivity and fairness in its evaluations. In total, more than
74 000 evaluations had been made by 2006, and the TACs are evolving both in quantity and quality by
continuously developing new evaluation models and acquiring advanced evaluation techniques.
Source: Kibo Technology Fund website (http://eng.kibo.or.kr/about/about02_01.asp), accessed August 2008.
Besides providing loan financing and loan guarantee programmes, the Korean
government has sought to stimulate private venture capital markets with a view to
enhancing high-technology venture firms and start-ups in Korea (see Figure 3.17 for a
brief history of government initiatives). It has revised laws related to financial markets
and provided funds to be injected into venture capital investment funds. For example, to
build a foundation for the stable growth of venture capital, the SMBA created a Fund of
Funds of around KRW 1 trillion (for the period 2005-09) for financing investment funds
for early-stage venture businesses. The objective is to provide stable financing that is able
to meet the needs of the capital market in the long term. Furthermore, the SMBA is
revitalising markets other than KOSDAQ to provide a stable basis of growth for venture
capital. Finally, to boost mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in venture businesses, the
SMBA has introduced streamlined procedures for M&A and business transfers. Further to
this, policy efforts are being made to facilitate M&A of venture companies with the
expectation that this will facilitate strategic alliances among enterprises and encourage the
flexible movement of technical services.

Figure 3.17. Development of venture capital
Initial phase Growth phase Overshooting phase Consolidation phase Turnaround phase
(1974-86) (1986-98) (1998-2000) (2001-04) (2005- )
Korea Technology Support for Small and VCs proliferated and the The number of VCs Government implemented
Advancing Corporation Medium Enterprise number of VCs peaked at decreased to 105 in 2004 strong measures
(KTAC) founded by Korea Establishment Act enacted 147 in 2000 The VC fund formation announced in December
Institute of Science and in 1986 194 venture capital funds and VC investment 2004 to reactivate venture
Technology (KIST) in 1974 12 venture capital (VC funds) were launched significantly contracted ecosystem
Three more new companies (VCs) founded in 2000 Korea Fund of Funds with
technology finance in 1986 and the number of VCs invested the target commitment of
companies established VCs increased to 72 in KRW 2 trillion in 2000 KRW 1 trillion was
under Financial Assistance 1998 launched in 2005
to New Technology Small and Medium The VC fund formation
Businesses Act (1986) Business Administration and VC investment
(SMBA) organised in 1996 significantly increased in
Act on Special Measures 2005
for the Promotion of
Venture Businesses
enacted in 1997
Source: Ilshin (2007), Venture Capital in Korea, Presentation to the OECD Country Review Unit, October 2007, Seoul.

3.7.3 Protecting intellectual property

The agency primarily responsible for protecting intellectual property is the Korean
Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), though a number of other agencies, such as SMBA,
provide IPR-related support programmes. As patent applications have risen rapidly in
Korea, KIPO has increased the number of its examiners. Improvements in patent
administration now mean that the examination period has been reduced from about
36 months in 1995 to 27 months in 2005. Co-operation with various international
organisations has also been stepped up. For example, the Korean government has become
a signatory of the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) operated by the World Intellectual
Property Organisation (WIPO), which has led to a very rapid increase in the growth of
PCT patent applications. A list of policies relating to the creation, protection and
application of patents is provided in Table 3.21.
Table 3.21. Classification of KIPOs IPR-related policies
Creation Protection Application

Direct support Promote common criteria Provide patent conflict legal structure Produce patent technology trial
products
Activate duty development Operate patent attorney consulting
centre Invest in Funds of Funds
(venture capital)
Grant rewards for reporting fake
products
Directly supporting Organise invention promotion Protect international intellectual Evaluate value of patented
infrastructure events property technology
Encourage inventions by women Promote semiconductor arrangement Operate Patent Technology
design Commercialisation Association
Supporting Promote research on intellectual Operate WIPO Korea Trust Fund Build and operate Patent
infrastructure property Technology Transfer System
Send KIPO personnel to European
Research patented technology Patent Office Establish the basis for patent
trends product distribution and sales
Participate in free trade agreement IP
Hold the Republic of Korea negotiations Operate and improve patent
Trademark Exhibition information system
Construct traditional knowledge
Promote creation of core database Build patent information
semiconductor design property database
Manage and protect patented micro-
organisms Learn about patent
administration through
international co-operation

3.7.4. Public procurement and lead markets

Demand is a major potential source of innovation, yet its critical role as a key driver
of innovation has still to be recognised in government policy. Public demand, when
oriented towards innovative solutions and products, has the potential to improve delivery
of public policy and services, often generating improved innovative dynamics and
benefits from the associated spillovers. In this context, public procurement has emerged
as a potentially powerful instrument to drive research and innovation by providing lead
markets for new technologies. Procurement competition has shifted from a sole focus on
price to the provision of solutions that offer the greatest advantage to users over the whole
life of the purchase. Firms are attracted to invest in research by the reduced risks
associated with the presence of an informed customer waiting for the resulting
innovations. Moreover, innovations developed in this way may then move on to further
deployment in private-sector markets (European Commission, 2005).
In principle, the potential for using public procurement as an instrument for
innovation is considerable. Public procurement accounts for significant proportions of
GDP in OECD countries. It represents a key source of demand for firms in sectors such as
construction, health care and transport. Nonetheless, public procurement as an innovation
policy has long been neglected or downplayed (Edler and Georghiou, 2007), although this
has changed in the last few years, with a number of European countries (and the
European Commission) looking to develop effective demand-side innovation policies,
with public procurement prominent among them.
Korea already has good examples of public and private R&D partnership programmes
involving public procurement of large-scale technological outputs, such as TDX systems
and CDMA commercialisation technologies. Besides these large-scale P/PPs for public
procurement, there exist a few direct public procurement programmes which aim to
develop technological innovation by the private sector. Prominent among these is the
SMBAs New Technology Purchasing Assurance programme, which was established in
1996 to promote technological innovation in SMEs. This programme provides SMEs
government procurement opportunities for their technologically innovative products.
Government agencies including the Defence Ministry, KEPCO (Korea Electric Power
Corporation), KOGAS (Korea Gas Corporation) and the Korea Railroad Corporation
commission SMEs to develop new technologies with the assurance that they will
purchase the product. The SMBA finances the technological development of SMEs, while
public institutions purchase the products for a certain period of time. In 2006, the SMBA
had supported 120 technology development projects involving 35 agencies and a
procurement budget of KRW 160 billion (Table 3.22). There are plans to expand the
participation of government agencies, public institutions and private business, and a target
system has been introduced, which will require 10% of total procurement in 2010 to be
dedicated to this programme (STEPI, 2006).

Table 3.22. Trends in the New Technology Purchasing Assurance programme
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Agencies involved 1 1 8 26 35
Number of projects 13 49 40 77 120
Procurement budgets (KRW billions) 9 40 40 100 160

3.8. Internationalisation
Indicators such as relatively low levels of FDI, low levels of foreign investment in
Korean research, weak international research collaboration, and the relatively small
number of foreign researchers working in Korea all suggest that the Korean innovation
system is only loosely linked to international knowledge networks. Against this
background, the Korean government has been enacting policy initiatives to increase the
internationalisation of its research base. These include promoting international R&D
collaboration, attracting foreign R&D centres to Korea and attracting human resources in
the form of students and skilled researchers to study and work in Korea. Some of the
measures associated with these objectives are further discussed below. The section begins
with a brief description of the landscape of government intervention in this area.
3.8.1. Main players in promoting internationalisation

As might be expected, several ministries have started their own international
programmes (Table 3.23). The two biggest are MESTs Internationalisation Programme
of S&T and MKEs International Joint Research and Development Programme. Some of
their sub-programmes share common goals, although the MKE focuses upon industrial
R&D. With rising interest in international R&D collaboration in Korea, MoST
established the Korea Foundation for International Co-operation of Science &
Technology (KICOS) in 2004. KICOS aims at making Korea the Northeast Asia R&D
hub by attracting prestigious foreign research institutes to Korea. Its role has since
expanded to include the management of MESTs international S&T co-operation
programmes. It also supports institutional collaboration in co-ordination with GRIs, such
as KIST, which has established its own international networks over the years, particularly
with Russia and China. Furthermore, as part of the 577 Initiative, an inter-ministerial
committee has been established for co-ordinating international joint research policies and
programmes which are carried out by each ministry.
Additionally, the government is promoting the globalisation of venture businesses
through the establishment of overseas small business development centres. These are
designed to help SMEs intending to enter an overseas market to locate a new market. As
of 2006, 24 overseas development centres in 12 countries had helped 300 venture firms
enter overseas markets. The SMBA, together with foreign investment institutions, has
also set up the Global Star Fund, a specialised fund to help small and medium venture
firms enter global markets, including advanced economies such as the United States, the

EU and China, as well as emerging markets in Asia. Two funds had been set up by 2006,
valued at USD 100 million.
Table 3.23. Major S&T internationalisation programmes, 2006
Main programme Budget (2006)

Ministry Programmes Categories
(starting year) (KRW millions)
MoST International S&T Global joint R&D programme Bilateral/multilateral 12 500
co-operation programme global research lab
(1985- )
Global biodiversity
networking
Inter-Korean S&T co-operation 650
programme
Global R&D networking Overseas S&T co- 11 595
programme operation centres
Multilateral co-operation
networking
Northeast Asia R&D hub 31 000
programme
ITER (2004~) 9 500
MoCIE International Joint R&D EUREKA 19 000
Programme (1990- )
Infrastructure of international
industrial R&D
Hosting foreign R&D centre
Korea Food and Drug International Co-operative Safety-related OECD/WHO 2 800
Administration Research Programme research
(2006- )
Rural Development International collaborative International organisation Standards/regulation, 2 785
Administration research programme on related research developing countries,
agriculture (1983- ) North Korea
Ministry of Education International vaccine WHO-IVI support (30%) 3 423
and Human Resource programme (1995- )
Development
Infrastructure for basic Inviting foreign researchers 3 800
science (2003- )
(Exchange researchers) (10 000)
Source: MOST.
3.8.2. Promoting international R&D collaboration

Research collaboration with the EU, Japan and the United States constitutes more
than 60% of the projects of MESTs Global Joint R&D programme. The advanced level
of R&D in these regions provides a strong incentive to collaborate on account of the
learning benefits. However, the number of projects with developing countries has risen
sharply in the last few years, especially with developing Southeast Asian countries. This
would seem to indicate a shift in MESTs position away from the sole objective of

absorbing foreign cutting-edge research and towards a broader set of objectives that
includes building collaborative links with neighbouring countries in the region. The
Global Joint R&D programme also has several sub-programmes with specific objectives.
These include the Global Research Laboratory programme with leading international
research laboratories, funding programmes in accordance with international S&T bilateral
agreements, and a programme for establishing a network for biodiversity.
In addition, several R&D centres have been set up across the world to build
collaborative links with local research groups. The locating countries largely overlap with
those ranked high in ICRD projects (the exception here is Japan), notably EU countries
and the United States. Korea is also participating in international S&T programmes such
as the EU Framework Programme (see Box 3.26), CERN and ITER.
Box 3.26. Korean participation in the European Unions Framework Programme

When compared to the active participation of other non-EU countries such as China, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam, Korea has shown a relatively low level of engagement in the EUs Framework Programme (FP).
This has been explained by a mix of factors, including a lack of awareness of the FP, insufficient support
systems, and minimum exposure of Koreas S&T capacity in the EU region. To improve levels of Korean
participation, MEST launched the Korea-EU Science and Technology Co-operation Advancement Programme
(KESTCAP) in mid-2008. KICOS and the Germany-based Korea Institute of Science and Technology
(KIST)-Europe will take the lead in developing collaborative activities with EU partners.
Source: MEST press release, 15 July 2008.
3.8.3. Attracting foreign R&D centres to Korea

By far the largest proportion of funding for international S&T in recent years has
gone to a programme funded by MEST which is dedicated to the establishment of a
Northeast Asia R&D Hub in Korea. The most striking characteristic of this programme is
its aim to attract branches of excellent public and non-profit R&D organisations, such as
the Institut Pasteur of France and RIKEN of Japan. The levels of support and presence
differ. For instance, the Institut Pasteur of Korea (IP-Korea) has new buildings and large
subsidies, whereas RIKEN has a relatively small office on the campus of Han-Yang
University.
In parallel, MKE is working to attract private firms R&D centres and has hosted 18
new R&D centres over the period 2003-06. These are the R&D centres of Microsoft,
IBM, Intel (now exited), Motorola, Delphi, Texas Instruments, Siemens, HP, Sun, AMD,
DuPont, ATI, Agilent, STMicroelectronics, National Semiconductor, Photronics, JATCO,
and On-Semi. In addition to MKEs efforts, local governments, such as Gyeonggi
Province, have been active in trying to attract foreign R&D centres. However, the ability
of local governments to attract foreign R&D centres is weaker than in other East Asian
countries, perhaps because of the smaller size of Korean regions when compared to their
Chinese counterparts. As a result, such efforts depend largely on the central government.
It is important to understand why foreign firms choose to locate R&D centres
overseas. Most often, they have done so to adapt technologies for local needs and
markets. Although a medium-sized country of almost 50 million people, Korea is dwarfed
by its neighbours, Japan and China. China in particular has benefited from such R&D
investments by multinational enterprises (MNEs), which are often associated with the
MNEs overseas production facilities. In Korea (and Japan), there are relatively few
foreign companies with production facilities and therefore less likelihood of foreign R&D
centres being set up.

However, in recent years, there has been a shift in reasons for locating R&D facilities
abroad, as technology sourcing and monitoring have become increasingly important. The
availability of highly skilled (and preferably cheap) labour is an important driver for this
type of investment, as is the presence of centres of excellence which can serve as outposts
to monitor new technological developments. Such R&D work can be intended for
regional or global markets and is determined primarily by the quality of the national
innovation system (UNCTAD, 2005). Crucial to the attraction of such R&D investments
is the establishment of a world-class science system with high-performance research
units, a highly developed infrastructure and a supply of excellent human resources
(OECD, 2006b). It is this type of investment that Korea hopes to attract through these
government programmes.
3.8.4. Attracting human resources

In relation to international mobility of HRST, it is perhaps more the low utilisation of
foreign expertise than the brain drain of domestic talent that is problematic for Korea.
Since the 1960s, attracting and deploying Korean scientists and engineers who were
educated and living abroad has been a strategic issue. US higher education institutions in
particular have been a significant source of doctoral education. 12 Until the 1970s,
substantial public financial support was provided for the repatriation of Korean scientists
and engineers. However, as the expansion of education generated more well-qualified
holders of doctoral degrees, the need for public intervention to attract recipients of
doctorates from foreign universities has diminished.
This picture has again begun to change as the Korean government has sought to
attract highly skilled researchers from aboard not so much to make up for quantitative
shortfalls, but rather to make qualitative improvements to the Korean science base. In this
regard, two longstanding government subsidy programmes were put in place during the
1990s to attract foreign researchers to Korea. The first and largest is the Brain Pool
programme, which provides financial and logistical support for up to two years to
overseas scientists and engineers who wish to collaborate with researchers in universities
and R&D institutes in Korea. From 1994 to 2006, 1 220 foreign researchers were
employed at 207 institutes through this programme, although 37% of them were Korean
emigrants. The Korean government has also initiated a Post-doc Fellowship Programme
for researchers from developing countries, with 225 researchers from 25 countries
benefiting in the ten years up to 2006.
Compared to world-class research regions, such as the United States and leading
European countries, the level of inward mobility is clearly modest. The Korean govern-
ment has therefore sought to attract more foreign researchers with its new World Class
University programme (Box 3.27). Around USD 800 million is to be spent over five years
to support universities to build new research departments around leading foreign
academics and to employ Nobel Prize winners and the like to take up visiting posts. In
addition, proposals for an International Science and Business Belt (see section 3.4) are
intended to attract leading scientists from around the world who will want to make use of
the state-of-the-art equipment on offer and to become part of a global scientific hub.

Box 3.27. World Class University programme

MEST intends to invest KRW 825 billion over the next five years to help foster research at universities
under its World Class University programme announced in 2008. The programme is designed to recruit top
researchers from around the world to collaborate with Korean scientists in key fields, including NBIC (nano-
bio-info-cogno) fusion technology, space science, national defence, disruptive and breakthrough technologies,
energy, embedded software, bio-pharmaceutics, neuroscience, financial mathematics, financial engineering,
digital storytelling, and human resource and organisational development studies.
The programme will fund three types of project:
Support will be given to universities that hire renowned scholars from abroad on a full-time basis to
establish and operate new departments at the undergraduate or graduate level in collaboration with
Korean professors.
Universities have been asked to hire one or two foreign academics as full-time professors in
existing departments or research institutes to lecture or conduct joint research with Korean
academics.
Support will go to universities that invite Nobel Prize winners and world-class academics as
visiting professors.
For selected universities, MEST plans to offer full wages, research fees and lab establishment fees for
foreign scholars. A subsidy of KRW 200 million will be granted per foreign scholar to secure office space,
research facilities and lab equipment. Up to KRW 35 million will also be granted per expert staff employed by
the universities to assist the foreign professors. Foreign scholars and Korean professors who participate in
collaborative studies will also be provided with approximately KRW 100 million per person. For selected
universities, the ministry will fund 30% of total project fees in the form of indirect and incidental expenses.
Source: MEST press release, 20 June 2008.
To facilitate the inflow of foreign scientists and engineers, Korea has three
preferential visa programmes: the Science Card of MoST, the GoldCard of MoCIE and
the IT Card of the MIC. Beneficiaries of the Science Card programme receive a five-year
multiple-entry visa, regardless of country of origin, and those qualifying for the GoldCard
and IT Card programmes obtain a three-year multiple-entry visa. From 2000 to 2006,
2 260 foreign scientists, engineers and IT professionals benefited from these preferential
visa programmes.
As well as focusing upon attracting foreign researchers to Korea, the government is
looking to make better use of Korean scientists and engineers working in different parts
of the world. In this regard, MEST is providing funding for the Korean Scientist and
Engineers Network (KOSEN), a virtual network of almost 70 000 scientists and
engineers, including over 5 000 expatriate researchers. MEST has also organised societies
of Korean scientists and engineers in 11 countries, which have undertaken, among other
things, to collect information on Korean scientists and engineers in eight countries. This
is an important set of initiatives, as the Korean diaspora offers a unique resource that
could be drawn upon to foster international collaboration, provide independent evaluation
and assessment, etc.

In addition to attracting established researchers, MEST has also sought to attract more
foreign students to Korean universities in order to increase the pool of foreign talent in
Korea. The Study Korea Project, launched in 2004, provided scholarships to
1 500 students from developing countries in 2008, a figure that is set to double by 2012.
In addition, the Study Korea Project Development Plan (see Box 3.28) seeks to double
the number of foreign students in Korea to 100 000 by 2012 (a previous target of 50 000
by 2010 was already exceeded by 2007) and to broaden their countries of origin.
International students in S&T fields are now mainly from Southeast Asian countries.
MEST also hopes for positive impacts on Koreas economic and diplomatic development,
and expects foreign graduates to serve as a potential driving force, by helping counter low
fertility rates and rapid population ageing.
Box 3.28. Study Korea Project Development Plan

The Study Korea Project Development Plan has the following elements:
MEST will develop study programmes that specialise in areas of Koreas comparative strength such
as information technology. The idea is to induce more foreign countries to send excellent students
on their own government scholarships. At the same time, the number of Korean government
scholarships available to foreign students will rise to 2 450 in 2010 and to 3 000 by 2012, up from
1 500 in 2008.
In order to diversify the nationalities of foreign students in Korea, MEST will conclude educational
arrangements with various foreign governments as a basis for facilitating student exchanges, and
will ease regulations to encourage joint curricular operation between Korean and foreign
universities.
Universities will receive a subsidy of KRW 2 billion to open more English-only and Korean-
language classes starting in 2008, up from KRW 400 million in 2007. Universities will also be
encouraged to expand their on-campus accommodation for foreign students.
Rules will be eased for student visa holders, so that foreign students may have more opportunity to
find jobs in Korea. MEST will also encourage universities and industries to develop collaborative
internship programmes for foreign students.
Source: MEST press release, 5 August 2008.
Thus, the Korean government has put in place an impressive array of initiatives to
improve the internationalisation of its science and innovation base. Flagship projects,
such as the International Science and Business Belt (ISBB) and the appointment of Nobel
laureates to Korean universities, will send a strong signal of Koreas seriousness as a
place for leading-edge science. However, the success of these and similar projects cannot
be taken for granted. Indeed, a number of fundamental barriers to the internationalisation
of Korean science remain. They include language and cultural barriers, which make
Korea a less attractive destination for foreigners. The increasing use of English in Korean
research centres and a growing international awareness of the richness of Korean arts and
culture should improve the situation, but it will obviously take time to see a major impact.
A further barrier concerns the education system, which is perceived negatively an
important consideration for foreign scientists with children as evidenced by the growing
tendency of Korean parents to send their children to schools outside of Korea. Finally, the
vast majority of universities have weak research capacities and thus have a low
international profile. This makes them relatively unattractive destinations for foreign
researchers.

While these challenges in no way undermine the potential value of the flagship
projects announced, they highlight the need for systemic solutions to the internationali-
sation issue. Moreover, they also point to the need for broad grassroots efforts to improve
the science base rather than efforts in a few selected sites. International scientific
exchange and mobility is more likely to occur in areas of fundamental science and is
often concentrated in universities. By improving the conditions for research in a broad set
of universities and increasing the amount of fundamental research carried out,
international scientific exchange and mobility will be boosted. Acknowledging the
likelihood of such effects should provide a pretext for government to mainstream its
internationalisation agenda across a large section of its programmes for science and
innovation.
3.9. Regionalisation
Governments across the OECD are increasingly turning to innovation policy to

promote development in sub-national regions. Given Koreas unbalanced regional
development, the government has also looked to use science and innovation policy
interventions as a means to promote economic development beyond the Seoul
metropolitan area. This section first presents these efforts with respect to R&D resources,
followed by a discussion of the governments regional cluster policies. Some of the
intermediaries involved in promoting regional innovation, including technoparks and
business incubators, are then briefly presented. Finally, an appropriate future course for
Korean regional innovation policy is considered.
3.9.1. Rebalancing the regional distribution of R&D resources

The STI data presented in Chapter 1 show clearly the dominance of the Seoul
metropolitan area in Korean R&D. This concentration of S&T resources has been largely
taken for granted during Koreas rapid industrialisation process but has recently been
questioned as the government has pushed for more balanced regional development. This
is because innovation, and by extension, science and technology, are increasingly viewed
by policy makers as vital to regional economic growth. Underdevelopment of innovation
resources is seen as an obstacle to a regions economic development. Accordingly, the
government increased the share of the public R&D budget in the provincial cities from
around 27% of the total in 2003 to 40% by 2007. This has required major adjustments
(and increased investments) in ministries R&D spending portfolios.
While the increased attention to regions has been widely welcomed, some argue that
it may in fact weaken national R&D capability, particularly if scientific excellence is
compromised in a push to increase research funding in less developed regions. To avoid
this, one solution has been to establish new national research centres or to move existing
ones away from the Seoul metropolitan area to implant ready-made capabilities. The
danger is that such centres may remain largely disconnected from the regional economy
and thus undermine the objective of boosting economic development. To minimise this
risk, there have been attempts to set up research centres that are intended to link with
local industries. Much of this activity has been carried out in the context of innovation
network and cluster policies.

By far the best known cluster of scientific resources outside of the Seoul metropolitan
area is the Daedeok Special R&D Zone created by MoST. This project is built around an
earlier initiative, Daedeok Science Town, which was created in the 1970s and modelled
on similar science towns in Japan and Russia. Since then, it has expanded, with the
relocation to Daedeok of KAIST, one of Koreas leading S&T universities, and several
leading GRIs. By 2006, 71 research institutes from the public and private sectors
(including ETRI and KARI) employing more than 14 000 staff were accommodated, and
the complex housed six universities and 690 companies. By 2007, the number of
companies had increased to 824, with a 2010 target of 1 500. A total of 24 000 people are
employed in Daedeok, almost three-quarters of whom are graduates. Daedeok has 10% of
all Korean PhDs and produces some 25 000 patents a year, 10% of the Korean total.
MoST devoted KRW 25 billion to the initiative in 2006.
A recent important development is the shift towards a more innovation-led strategy,
with the 2005 rebranding of the R&D Zone as the Daedeok Innopolis. Innovation is being
promoted by special incentives and rules that apply only to Daedeok. These include tax
incentives, special R&D programmes and earmarked venture capital funds. A question
debated in Korea is whether these government interventions can catalyse the development
of a Korean Silicon Valley. Detractors point to the emergence of natural clusters and
argue that these cannot be manufactured by public policy. In response, defenders point to
the contribution that policy can make to encourage the conditions for technology transfer
and the formation of high-technology spin-offs. It is still too early to judge the success or
otherwise of the Daedeok Innopolis, but continuing growth in the number of venture
companies housed in the complex is probably cause for some optimism.
3.9.2. Beyond R&D building innovation capabilities in regions

Simply increasing R&D activities is insufficient to enhance innovation performance
in less favoured regions. A wider set of policies is required. In a survey of officials
responsible for promoting innovation in the regions, Chung (2005) identified four major
requirements (in order of importance) for enhancing regional innovation networks:
Enhancing existing firms technological capabilities.
Initiating co-operation programmes by central government.
Attracting new firms to the region.
Increasing co-operation efforts of universities in the region.
On the basis of this list, Chung concludes that Korea needs various programmes to
address weaknesses in regional innovation, including measures that promote partnerships
among regional innovation actors, as these have been relatively weak until recently.
Government policies would seem to agree, and MoST has established a five-year
Comprehensive Regional Science and Technology Promotion Plan (2004) that sets out to:
i) develop local competences in strategic technologies; ii) create regional centres for
technological innovation; iii) develop local S&T human resources; iv) establish regional
S&T information systems; v) nurture a culture conducive to S&T innovation; and
vi) increase the R&D investments of local governments. This has led to a mix of policy
measures to support or build regional innovation systems funded by a variety of public
agencies at both national and regional levels. The most common have tended to be
supply-driven, e.g. enhancement of the educational and research capacity. They have
included the national governments relocation of public research facilities away from

Seoul, MESTs NURI Programme (focused upon the teaching specialisations of regional
universities), and the regional governments own S&T support programmes. However,
while these remain important, there has been increasing attention to demand
characteristics, such as the technological absorptive capacity of the region and the firms
operating within it, and the variety and density of linkages between firms and between
firms and researchers. This has led to the adoption of a cluster perspective (see Box 3.29)
in much Korean innovation policy.
Box 3.29. Innovation clusters

The introduction of the role of innovation in regional economic development can be linked to the
emergence of the concept of industry clusters. The literature on regional innovation clusters is extensive and
draws upon concepts from economic geography, industry supply chains and the innovation systems approach
(Nelson, 1993; Johnston, 2003). The innovation cluster concept goes beyond horizontal networks of firms
operating in the same sector to emphasise vertical networks along the value chain of a product or industry. It
stresses the advantages of close proximity between producers, suppliers and support services and with public
knowledge institutions such as universities and research laboratories.
Clusters affect competition in three broad ways.
The first is by increasing the productivity of companies within the cluster. Being part of a cluster allows
companies to operate more productively in sourcing inputs; accessing information, technology and needed
institutions; co-ordinating with related companies; and measuring and motivating improvement. The
productivity improvements are achieved through:
Improved access to specialised and experienced employees and a deep, high-quality supplier base.
Improved access to specialised market, technical and competitive information.
Complementarities, in the form of complementary products to meet customer needs, co-ordination
to optimise collective profitability, complementarities in marketing, and in the breadth and scale of
the market which attracts buyers.
The second way in which clusters affect competition is by driving the pace and direction of innovation.
The characteristics that enhance productivity can have an even more dramatic effect on innovation.
Companies within a cluster have access to better information about changing customer needs, evolving
technology, service and marketing concepts. In addition they support the flexibility to respond rapidly to these
changes, through lower-cost experimentation.
The third effect of clusters is through stimulation of the formation of new businesses. This cluster itself
represents a significant local market, there is an increased potential to identify new niche business
opportunities, and the resources and skills to establish a new enterprise are on hand, including investment
capital.
In summary, a cluster allows each member to benefit as if it had greater scale or as if it had joined with
others formally, without requiring it to sacrifice its flexibility (Johnston 2003).
In general, the instruments used in cluster programmes are of three distinct types: engagement of actors,
collective services and larger-scale collaborative R&D. In terms of engaging actors, key issues include: the
role of facilitators, the level and type of interaction desired, the existence of a formal cluster initiative, and the
spatial aspects of the cluster. For the programmes that emphasise collective services (e.g. business advice,
skill development or joint marketing) a key consideration is how to target services in a way that does not
substitute for private provision. Finally, collaborative R&D projects through cluster programmes tend to
involve more than one research institution or university in co-operation with several firms and often tap into
external R&D funding sources and programmes (OECD, 2007h).

Koreas cluster development policies have been implemented, in part, to promote

scientific and technological innovation, especially in high-technology industries and
SMEs, but also to promote balanced economic development through the establishment of
regional innovation systems. Policies are based on the 2003 Special Law for Balanced
National Development, the 2004 Second Comprehensive Plan for Promoting Regional
S&T (2005-07), and the 2005 First Five-year Balanced National Development Plan. As
part of these efforts, resources have been channelled towards the promotion of four so-
called strategic industries in 16 provinces/city regions, as shown in Table 3.24.
Table 3.24. Strategic industries of 16 cities and provinces
City/province Strategic industry City/province Strategic industry

Busan Harbour logistics Jeju Tourism
Machinery parts Health, beauty and BT
Tourism and convention Eco-friendly agriculture
Video IT Digital content
Ulsan Automobile Gyeongnam Knowledge-based machinery
Shipbuilding and marine eng. Robots
Fine chemistry Smart homes
Environment Biotechnology
Jeonnam Biotechnology Gwangju Optical industry
Shipbuilding / new materials Information home appliances
Logistics Automobile parts
Culture and tourism Design and culture
Jeonbuk Automobile and machinery Daejeon Info. and communications
Biotechnology Biotechnology
Alternative energy High-technology parts and machinery
Culture and tourism Mechatronics
Chungnam Electronic info. devices Chungbuk Biotechnology
Automobile parts Semiconductors
State-of-the-art culture Mobile communications
Agricultural and livestock BT Next-generation batteries
Gyeongbuk Electronic Info. devices Daegu Mechatronics
New Materials parts Electronic info. devices
Oriental medicine Fibre
Culture and tourism Biotechnology
Gyeonggi Info. and communications Incheon Logistics
Biotechnology Automobile
Cultural content Machinery and metal
Global logistics Info. and communications
Seoul Digital content Gangwon Biotechnology
Info. and communications Medical devices
Biotechnology New materials
Financial business support Tourism and culture

MoCIE also launched the Innovative Cluster Cities programme in 2005, which seeks
to transform seven key regional industrial complexes from manufacturing centres into
more innovation-oriented regional hubs. The purpose of the innovative cluster policy has
been to strengthen the industrial complexes, which mainly focus on manufacturing,
through the systematic integration of R&D and the development of networking among
academia, industry and research institutions. The selected cluster cities specialise in fields
that are consistent with national priority industries. The programme is being carried out
over four years, with a budget of KRW 46.2 billion in 2006. By mid-2006, some
2 632 organisations had participated in the programme, including 1 859 companies,
606 universities and research centres, and 167 supporting institutions (OECD, 2007h).
The seven clusters chosen are: Ulsan Automotive Components, Changwon Advanced
Appliances, Gwangju Photonics Industry, Gumi Digital Electronics Industry, Wonju
Advanced Medical Industry, Gunsan Automobile Appliance Components, and Banwol
Sihwa Advanced Component Materials.
3.9.3. Intermediaries supporting regional innovation

In addition to local universities, local research institutes and companies, several
specialist intermediary organisations support innovation in regions (Figure 3.18). Among
these are the technoparks which have been jointly established by MoCIE and local
governments since 1997 as a means of building up technology infrastructure. The
objective of the technoparks programme is to support the formation of innovative clusters
by strengthening regional innovation systems. This is done by building networks between
industry, academia, research institutes and government; promoting the establishment of
high-technology business and strengthening technological innovation capability; creating
venture businesses through innovation; prioritising the cultivation of local strategic and
specific industries; and creating and fostering competitive industries. Each province has
at least one technopark; Kyonggi and Kyongbuk provinces have two. Each technopark
receives around KRW 5 billion annually to assist in infrastructure building and equipment
purchase.
Figure 3.18. Model of typical regional innovation system intervention in Korea
RIA
Local universities
TP and
RIPC
Large
Local research Technology support through assemblers
institutes co-operation with universities
and research institutes
SME suppliers
RIA: Regional innovation agency. TP: Techno-parks. RIPC: Regional industrial promotion centres.
Source: Lee and Kim (2008), Different Evolutionary Patterns of Industrial Clusters in a Multi-Scalar Framework: Comparison of Four
Industrial Clusters in Korea, paper presented at the Annual Conference of the IGU Commission, Worlds of New Work? Multi-scalar
Dynamics of New Economic Spaces, 5-8 August, Barcelona.

MoST extended its Centres of Excellence programme to incorporate a new category

of research centre (in addition to SRCs, ERCs, etc.), the Regional Research Centres
(RRCs). In contrast to the other types of research centres, RRCs emphasised co-operative
research between regional universities and industries. In 2004, this programme was taken
over by MoCIE, which combined it with its own Technology Innovation Centres (TICs)
programme. While RRCs had focused on supporting research work, TICs had focused on
sharing expensive experimental facilities among local universities and SMEs. The new
programme, known as Regional Innovation Centres (RICs), has seen some 80 centres
established. Regions such as Pusan, Kyonggi, Chungnam, Chonbuk and Kyongbuk are
maintaining seven RICs, the largest number (see Figure 3.19). They are all located in
local universities, and are slightly smaller in size than their MoST counterparts.
Figure 3.19. Number of regional innovation centres by region, 2005
8
7 7 7 7 7
7
6 6
6
5 5 5 5
5
4 4
4
3
3
2
2
1
0
0
Source: MoST (2006), Regional Science and Technology Yearbook 2005, MoST, Seoul
Finally, the Technology Business Incubator programme provides comprehensive

business incubation support, including technology development and commercialisation
funds, working space, technology and management guidance, and information services to
new start-ups. Incubators are located in universities and GRIs and allow business start-
ups to utilise the available research manpower and facilities.
3.9.4. Getting the measure of regional innovation policy

Given that many of the current policy and programme initiatives are relatively new, it
is difficult to evaluate their effectiveness. However, some problems are already apparent.
Chung (2005) has examined how Korean innovation organisations co-operated during
2000-05 and found the general level of partnership in Korean regional innovation systems
to be relatively low. There is also some question whether capacity building by local actors
and their co-ordination and networking activities can contribute to the development of a
dynamic endogenous innovation system in regions. According to Lee and Kim (2008),
the legacies of a state development model still hamper the successful transformation of
regions, owing to the continuing dominance of the central government in regional
innovation policy planning and execution and to the lack of a balance of power between
the chaebol and local suppliers. They conclude that policy interventions in support of

regional innovation systems have had only limited effect in terms of capacity building
and regional networking as many regional actors including firms, universities and
policy makers do not have the capabilities needed to truly benefit from the various
support programmes on offer. No doubt this is the case, but such judgement is probably
somewhat premature. It should be apparent that even with government intervention,
research and innovation capability building in a region will take considerable time to
deliver on its promises. This is not to imply that such investments should be avoided;
rather, the point is that such investments should be given due time before being judged on
their merits.
Interviews conducted in support of this review also suggest there is still an overall
weakness in co-ordination between the different innovation support programmes. This is
because they are administered by different agencies and at different levels and therefore
lead not only to overlaps but also to gaps in support. The currently separate but often
entangled policies on clusters, R&D, regional innovation and education would best be
melded into a comprehensive policy for regional economic development (OECD, 2005c).
Moreover, responsibility for planning and implementing this comprehensive policy
should be largely delegated to the regions, with accompanying accountability safeguards
in place to ensure quality standards and to enable inter-regional learning.

Notes
1. Some parts of MoST have also been merged into MKE, specifically those concerned
with the Daedeok Innopolis and other cluster-type programmes (see section 3.9).
2. The following points are taken from the MKE website (www.mke.go.kr/language/eng),
accessed June 2008.
3. Staff dispatched to OSTI from other ministries returned to their previous positions after
a certain period of time and were replaced by an equivalent number of new staff from
the same ministry.
4. These were mostly experts in specific areas. They were expected to play a comple-
mentary role to government officials in policy making and policy co-ordination.
5. These complaints did not entirely disappear with the establishment of OSTI, as
ministries and agencies still claimed special knowledge of their domains and continued
to be suspicious of outside intervention.
6. The situation may have improved over time, particularly with new funding programmes
designed to require inter-ministerial collaboration (for example, as in the Next-
generation Growth Engines R&D Programme, in which several ministries have actively
participated in many projects see below).
7. Overall, the trend in basic research funding in OECD countries is difficult to define
since only 15 countries reported data after 1996. Also, in many cases the data may be
distorted since countries tend to label basic research according to the institutions in
which the research is carried out, although these institutions while originally
dedicated to basic research may also perform other types of research, e.g. research in
universities or institutes of academies of sciences is always defined as basic research
(OECD, 2003a).
8. For instance, MESTs 2009 research budget for green technologies increased by 92%
from the previous year to KRW 68 billion.
9. Based upon a private communication from Prof. Hyunsoo Kim, Kookmin University.
10. These figures refer to the utilisation ratio of equipment by researchers other than those
who purchased the equipment for their own research purposes. The actual number is
calculated by counting the number of days when other researchers have used research
equipment and is surveyed on an annual basis by MEST. On the basis of such surveys,
MEST calculates a national average.
11. At least this is the case with the text available in English. More detailed plans are
available in Korean and may refer to prospective developments in China and Japan.
12. Korean holders of doctorates from abroad are recommended to register with the Korea
Research Foundation. In fact, most Korean universities require certificates of registra-
tion from applicants when they fill vacancies for positions requiring a doctoral degree.
According to KRF statistics, 57% of registered foreign doctoral degree holders received
their degrees from US higher educational institutions, followed by 16% from Japan and
8% from Germany as of 2005.

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OECD PUBLISHING, 2, rue Andr-Pascal, 75775 PARIS CEDEX 16
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However, a number of bottlenecks persist that hamper Koreas economic convergence with the
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Furthermore, Korea faces numerous threats in the mid term, notably increased levels of competition
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ageing society, and a continuing high dependency on imports of natural resources, particularly
hydrocarbons. In the shorter term, the economic crisis offers its own challenges, with the need for
some policy adjustments to deal with expected falls in business investment in R&D and growing
levels of unemployment among the highly skilled.
This report assesses the current status of Koreas innovation system and policies, and identifies
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OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Introduction: Korean Innovation Policy in a Time of Economic Crisis...................................................... 7

Overall Assessment and Recommendations ................................................................................................ 13

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Korean Innovation Policy in a Time of Economic Crisis

Innovation and the economic crisis

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Policy responses past, present and future

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Guiding principles for innovation policy

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Overall Assessment and Recommendations

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Main strengths and weaknesses of Koreas innovation system

It is important to take specific aspects of Koreas history, geopolitical features, and

Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

High levels of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD). GERD amounted to a

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Threats and opportunities

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Competition from China and other newly industrialising countries. Korea is

Strategic tasks and guiding principles

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

International openness. Korea needs to improve its research systems international

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Improve inter-ministerial co-ordination of innovation policy

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

In addition to horizontal co-ordination, vertical lines of co-ordination and accounta-

Redefine the roles of research performers

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

v) working in areas of interdisciplinary and fusion research. In addition, various options

Understand the benefits of fundamental research

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Promote innovation in the business sector

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Broaden areas of specialisation

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Formulate a set of more welfare-oriented grand challenges for research. These

Improve the contribution of tertiary education to innovation

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Improve female participation rates in science and engineering

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Improve labour mobility in the research system

Decentralise innovation policy in the interests of more balanced growth

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Conduct a bottom-up strategic audit of regional innovation programmes. Within

Maximise benefits from the internationalisation of R&D

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

Summary table: SWOT analysis of the Korean innovation system

Strong ICT infrastructure

OECD REVIEWS OF INNOVATION POLICY: KOREA ISBN 978-92-64-06722-6 OECD 2009

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