We Will Be Trapped in the Semiconductor Illusion
and Gradually Pushed to the Periphery of World Technology History.
The Korean economy stands at the threshold of a great transition -- but skepticism about preparedness to pass through it is growing. The manufacturing-based industrial structure that drove past high growth has already reached its limits, and the world is entering a new era of technological hegemony competition centered on key emerging technologies -- bio, quantum, space, and AI. The problem: Korea is no longer in the leading group in this competition. Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center "Critical and Emerging Technology Index 2025" sharply points to Korea current position: overall ranking 5th among 25 countries, but only thanks to semiconductors (35% of total score). In actual future industry core fields: AI (9th), bio (10th), quantum (12th), space (13th) -- all middle tier. The gap with US (1st) and China (2nd) is overwhelming. Particularly alarming: Korea scored "0 points" in AI model accuracy and algorithm areas -- revealing serious absence of fundamental technical capability beyond technology independence. Structural cause: top STEM talent flowing to medicine rather than technology fields weakens the technical talent base; globally competitive creative and applied talent is absolutely insufficient. The Belfer Center AI talent indicator shows Korea at 2.6 points -- far below the US and China. The semiconductor trap: Korea "5th place" ranking obscures deterioration in actual future technology competitiveness; if semiconductor dominance continues to be the sole metric of Korea technological standing, the country risks missing the transition to the next technology era.
