South Korea is among the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries, and boasts production of some of the most advanced semiconductor, LCD panel, and mobile phones technology available. South Korea also leads the world in the shipbuilding industry, headed by prominent companies like the Hyundai Heavy Industries. As investment in R&D grows, South Korea is shaping up as a technology powerhouse through consumer electronics. A nation of early-adopters, South Korea has become a giant focus group for technology manufacturers worldwide, hastening replacement cycles and introducing a host of new product uses.
As the world leader for internet infrastructure, Korea has the highest internet penetration rate in the world. Korea was also the first in the world to launch commercial satellite DMB phones, which enable mobile phone users to watch TV while riding the subway, buses, railroad, etc. The adoption of new technologies has been facilitated by the national broadband infrastructure that provides about 71 percent of the country with high-speed Internet access. This has helped spread digital phenomena such as futuristic networked homes that connect refrigerators, ovens and other household appliances to the Internet.
"Wireless for (South Korea) is the same as the space mission to the moon was for the U.S.," independent analyst John Yunker said.
With a history as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Korea is working to become the focal point of a powerful Asian economic bloc during the 21st century. The Northeast Asian region commands a superior pool of essential resources that are the necessary ingredients for economic development. These include a population of 1.5 billion people, abundant natural resources, and large-scale consumer markets.
Quick Facts about Korea: -
Ranks 2nd in technological infrastructure and 15th in scientific infrastructure in the IMD's World Competitiveness Yearbook. -
Ranks 2nd in the world in patent productivity of R&D personnel -
47% share of the global memory semiconductor market, 41% of the LCD panel market, 28% of the mobile phone market, and 22% of the digital TV market. -
Number one in the world in high-speed internet penetration. -
The first in the world to launch commercial satellite DMB phones and Wibro. -
World's highest broadband Internet subscription rate -
Korea's 68-percent mobile-phone penetration rate is one of the world's highest -
Korea introduced the world's first commercial WiBro, s-DMB, and t-DMB services -
WiBro services began in 2005 and are now being run on a commercial basis (In August 2006, Sprint of the U.S.A. adopted Samsung WiBro technology as its wireless communication platform) -
Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) services began on a commercial basis in June 2005. Terrestrial DMB began on a pilot basis in the second half of 2005 and was placed on a commercial footing in 2006 -
On the mobile telecom front, commercial WCDMA services began in 2005, HSDPA is due to begin in 2006 and HSUPA in the first half of 2007.
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