The Structure and Characteristics of the Korean National Innovation System

한국 국가혁신체제의 구조와 특성

This paper summarizes the research results on the structural characteristics of the Korean innovation system. The Korean NIS has functioned well in the foreign technology imitation stage. However, there are many drawbacks to advancing to the stage of technological innovation. Weak infrastructure and linkages among technological institutions are detrimental factors that affect technological innovation. The immobility of professional manpower is a serious bottleneck to knowledge diffusion. Especially, the inactivity of university research prevents universities from being able to play a relevant role in the national innovation system. The drawbacks of the Korean innovation system are mainly associated with the public sector and social culture. Weak linkages among organizations are due to the lack of trust among people and organizations, and absence of demand-oriented management in public institutes. Weaknesses in technological infrastructure, university research and the social and cultural environment are tile result of the lack of government will. However, the private sector was evaluated as being relatively active in innovation. Particularly, Chaebols deployed aggressive strategies to acquire their own technological capabilities. The findings of this study suggest that to strengthen the Korean innovation system, the government continues to be important, as in the past, in order to shape social institutions and a culture that is learning friendly, diffusion friendly and, consequently, innovation friendly.