S. Korean spending on int'l research jumps in 2004-2008

SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's expenditures on joint research projects
between domestic and foreign institutes rose sharply in the 2004-2008 period as
the country made efforts to bolster its scientific and engineering
infrastructure, a report said Monday.

According to the report by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the country spent
194.6 billion won (US$164.8 million) over the past five years on cooperative
projects, representing an average increase of 45.2 percent on-year in the cited
period.
It also said a total of 292 research and development (R&D) projects received
funding during that time.
Of the total, 55.5 percent went toward the information technology sector, while
robotics, energy and natural resource development got just 2 percent of the funds
distributed.
R&D funds for electric power generation and nuclear energy received 15.6 percent
of the total.
The United States topped the list of countries that South Korea engaged with in
such joint research projects, with U.S. partners receiving 39 percent of all
funds doled out by Seoul. Russia followed with 12.9 percent and Japan with 11.9
percent. Funds that went toward joint South Korean-Chinese companies and
laboratories reached 11.6 percent of investments made in the cited period.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)