South Korea is currently outperforming the UK and France in the field of nanotechnology, aiming to join the ranks of the world’s top four nations in this sector.
According to the South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology, the country has gained significant attention due to the effective collaboration between the government and businesses in the research and development of nanotechnology. Additionally, South Korea has successfully commercialized nanotechnology.
The leading countries in this field are the United States, Japan, and Germany. The U.S. is the global leader, followed by Japan, with Germany and South Korea next. Taiwan and China are also achieving notable results in this area, while the UK and France are lagging behind due to challenges in transitioning from theory to practical application.
Nanotechnology pertains to any technological development at the nanometer scale, which involves single atoms or small molecules. South Korean companies and the government support these technologies in sectors such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and micro-mechanics.
Reports indicate that currently, 16% of South Korea’s GDP comes from high-tech manufacturing sectors, with the state allocating 3% of GDP for research and development (R&D).
The Minister stated, “We are striving to be among the top three countries in the world in this field by 2015.”
The government has significantly increased investment in nanotechnology, rising from 83 billion won in 2001 to 277 billion won this year. The number of university courses on nanotechnology has also doubled over the past three years, from 17 courses in 2002 to 31 courses in 2004.
Korean scientists and engineers feel more confident in their technologies than ever before. According to a government survey, scientists believed they had achieved 25% of what U.S. scientists accomplished in nanotechnology in 2001. However, this gap is narrowing, and as of now, they estimate that South Korea has achieved 62% of the advancements made by the U.S. in 2004.
