This paper examines the unique aspects of development of the electronics industry as an export industry in Korea of the 1960s and 70s. The development of the electronics industry of this period accompanied the establishment of related laws and policie...
This paper examines the unique aspects of development of the electronics industry as an export industry in Korea of the 1960s and 70s. The development of the electronics industry of this period accompanied the establishment of related laws and policies, the technology manpower cultivation, the technology transfer and development, the construction of industrial parks, and export promotion activities to foster the industry. This was a unique phenomenon in Korea, a developing country, which has established itself as a producer and exporter of electronics. However, the early history of Korea's electronics industry has been relatively poorly studied in spite of its remarkable performance in the 1990s.
The problems that emerged in the formulation and implementation of electronics industry policies in the 1960s and 70s were resolved through the interplay of cooperation, competition, conflict, and exclusion among different actors. The export industry and technology interacted with each other, influencing institutions, organizations, and technological learning in a co-evolutionary manner. The characteristics of the Korean electronics industry revealed through this study are that it evolved through the interaction of establishing its identity as an export industry and rapid technology acquisition. In order to dramatically expand its export performance in the electronics industry, which was designated as a strategic industry, Korea paid great attention to technology acquisition and development for black-and-white TVs, color TVs, and semiconductors. Export industries and technology acquisition have become interdependent, with positive effects on both sides. This can also be called the process of technological internalization of the electronics industry. The co-evolution between the export industry and technology acquisition in the electronics industry involved various actors other than a strong government. This study shows that in the formulation and implementation of Korea's electronics industry development policies in the 1960s and 70s, there was no simple and uniform government leadership in terms of industry selection, institutionalization of laws and policies, training of technical manpower, technology learning and development, and formation of production and export bases. The detailed implementation of the major policies shows that the production and export base of the electronics industry was established along with its technological foundation through the close cooperation between related ministries, companies, research institutes, academies, and labor.