Korea will spend a lot to sharpen IT competitiveness

Korea imports core parts to make major export items such as cellular phones and liquid crystal displays, including LPD modules and smart power management ICs.
The ministry said it was urgent to strengthen the system-on-chip (SoC) sector, which accounted for 63 percent of IT parts and materials imports in 2004. Most of the country`s fabless semiconductor companies are small-scale while foundries mostly makes chips for foreign companies.
The ministry said it plans to establish a comprehensive support system for the SoC industry that would range from assistance in setting up fabless companies to prototype design to tests and marketing. The ministry also plans to nurture about 1,000 SoC architects with advanced degrees by 2010.