South Korea's investment in research and development has grown an average of
9.6 percent since 2008, the world's second-highest level after China, a
government commission reported Thursday.
R&D investment during the
period totaled 68 trillion won (US$62.8 billion), which means an average of 9.6
percent growth per year between 2008 and 2012. The total is more than the target
amount of 66.5 trillion won, the National Technology and Science Commission said
in a report to President Lee Myung-bak.
The growth rate is the second
highest after China's 22.3 percent averaged between 2008 and 2010.
Japan saw R&D investment rising an average 8.8 percent between 2008 and
2010; the United States 7.9 percent between 2007 and 2009; and Germany 1.8
percent between 2008 and 2010. France's R&D investment contracted an average
2.1 percent between 2008 and 2010, the commission said.
The number of
international patents under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) also rose from
7,899 cases in 2008 to 10,447 cases last year, while the ratio of
science-related jobs to the total rose from 16.8 percent during the same period,
the commission said.
After the report, Lee said South Korea should
work harder to be a "first-mover" rather than following others, stressing that
the country's future depends on science and technology, according to
presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha.
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