Korea Aims for Per Capita GDP $35,000 by 2015

Korea Aims for Per Capita GDP $35,000 by 2015
By KOREA IT TIMES
October 2005, vol.16
URL : http://www.ittimes.co.kr/en/node.asp?em=M&mcode=200510&subcode=L22&idx=739
Global Industry Integrator Strategy unveiled by MOCIE

Could Korea achieve its per capita GDP target of US$35,000 by 2015 as forecasted last month by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) during the Industrial Innovation Forum 2005?

More fundamentally, MOCIE points out that with the recent growth level of 4 percent, Korea is still a long way off from joining the ranks of the advanced countries within 10 years, not to mention the possibility of a global GDP ranking decline.

In other words, it will be difficult to break through the current GDP "trap" of US$10,000-20,000 level, given the recent growth potential of 4 percent.

In this regard, MOCIE Minister Lee Hee-beom, said that there was an urgent need for coordination the nation's vision for industrial development, development strategy, and pan-national efforts to boost the potential growth rate by 1 percent and expanding of innovation capacity. He maintains that Korea can lead the global division of labor, accomplishing GDP 10th ranking globally, as well as reach the GDP US$35,000 level by 2015, with economic growth continuation of the upper half of 5 percent.

In reality, in the compression growth as well as in the conquest process of the foreign exchange crisis, Korea made its way into a middle-speed growth era, recording 4.9 percent in terms of average economic growth rate (1995~2004) over the past 10 years.

Global Industry Integrator Minister Lee said that industry, enterprises and the government have to concentrate their capacity on the interests of a vision accomplishment of "Global Industry Integrator," which facilitates a balanced development of the economy, moving away from the current pessimistic view.

The four strategies referred to as the "Global Industry Integrator," which will complement and supplement deficiencies in the nation's industries include fusing new technologies from various industries, and encouraging local manufacturers of high-tech products like semiconductors, digital electronics and biotechnology devices to play a globally leading role within the specified areas in both developed and developing economies. Another involves promoting a creative environment for the auto and shipbuilding industries, two major contributors to the country's export-driven economy, to sustain their competitive edge. One method involves focusing on service and brand differentiation.

The third calls for building infrastructure to provide competitive services, which include logistics and environment-friendliness.

The fourth concerns adopting "soft services," such as cultural products unique to Korea, to boost exports. He explained that Korea was going through a pessimistic phase and people were experiencing feelings of uneasiness due to issues facing the entire industrial sector. The core reason for such negativity about Korean industry are Korea's manufacturing foundation loss crisis due to China's stronger manufacturing competitiveness, key industries' growth slowdown, as well as economic growth stagnation crisis due to other industries' value- added creation insufficiency and competition superiority decline, caught in a 'nutcracker' between China and Japan.

However, MOCIE insists that Korea can find new opportunities on the back of such pessimism. For instance, increased investments into China are just a transfer of manufacturing function from the standpoint of value chain and this don't mean a fundamental loss of Korean manufacturing itself, a MOCIE official explained.

With Korean manufacturing hollowing out into China, it should be understood that this is not a phenomenon being experienced by Korea alone, So, as the official pointed out, Korea should rather seize the opportunity to strengthen its manufacturing competitiveness by boosting other value chain functions such as design, branding and marketing. In the context of changing trends in the global environment affecting Korea, Minister Lee said that thanks to IT, BT, NT as well as fusion technology development, the parts/material industry value-added creation opportunities will be expanded and robots for households will become a reality.

Accordingly, due to IT, BT, NT as well as fusion technology's development, new industries such as reproduction special industry will emerge, Lee predicted. Global technology leadership through selection & concentration To accomplish per capita GDP of $35,000 under the Global Industry Integrator vision which facilitates a balanced development of the global industry, it is pointed out that Korea should continuously secure global technology leadership through selection and concentration in the convergence industry as well as cutting-edge manufacturing.

In particular, MOCIE pinpoints that to accomplish Korea industry's vision, the country should adopt a differentiated development strategy by industry spheres in connection with global positioning. To this end, Minister Lee insists that in the case of the convergence industry as well as cutting-edge manufacturing, Korea has to devise market control enlargement through global technology leadership as well as standard leading in spheres with high priority order.

In particular, Korea should actively pursue opportunities as a parts/material supplier for the Chinese market. MOCIE predicted that employment of approximately 26.6 million people will be generated by 2015 by means of manufacturing innovation as well as service industry development and total value-added scale could reach as high as 160 trillion won (approx. US$1.5 trillion). However, it is pointed out that for Korean industry to accomplish its vision against the backdrop of changes in the global environment, Korean companies' to fulfill their industrial development role should nurture their capacity as innovators. Distinguished global scholars also who attended this Industrial Innovation Forum 2005, highlighted Korea's high dependence on a small number of large companies and the absence of a "selection and concentration" strategy regarding our economy.

Alvin Toffler said that it is excessively high in terms of dependence degree on a small number of large exporting companies, adding that the Korean government needs to do more to promote smaller companies.

Prof. Jeffrey Pfeffer, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, California, pointed to the vertical structure and hostile labor-management relations as Korean companies' most vulnerable point. In this respect, in order for Korean companies to develop, they should concentrate their energies on establishing solid labor-management relations while decentralizing authority and decision making, he advises.

Notably, the professor stressed that labor and management have to develop mutual confidence through frequent contacts, with a common goal for the sake of solid industrial relations, pointing out that no company could compete successfully as long as there are any employees who are dissatisfied with their company, in a modern society in which intellectual capital is important.

南方朔觀點 愛爾蘭、義大利、南韓

中時電子報｜論壇新聞2006.02.13　 中國時報
南方朔觀點 愛爾蘭、義大利、南韓
南方朔

最近這幾年，西歐的愛爾蘭、南歐的義大利、東亞的南韓，都是世人誇讚的全球化時代成功榜樣。而它們的成功，最根本的因素都在於它們有思想。可別小看了思想，當思想對了，就甚麼都對了；當思想不對，就再也做不出對的事情來。

最近「中國時報」對愛爾蘭做了連載報導，以前窮得只有馬鈴薯的愛爾蘭，現在已是歐洲「電子商務中心」（e-hub）。二○○四年聯合國「人類發展指數報告」它排名全球第八，國民所得三七七三八美元，還比美國多二百美元。已有學者指出，從前的愛爾蘭文豪喬艾斯（James Joyce.1882-1941）寫《都柏林人》，那是個灰暗、衰靡、下作的城市；而當代愛爾蘭小文豪羅迪道爾（Roddy Doyle）寫都柏林，則親切、健康、上進。這對比已濃縮了今與昔。
愛爾蘭脫胎換骨，除了與思想上化悲情為上進，以和平取代衝突等「歷史性的決裂」有關外，一九九二年副總理兼公共事業部長歐洛克（Mary O’Rourke）在全世界多數國家都還不知道ｅ是甚麼東西的時候，就已宣布e-hub是努力的目標。後來愛爾蘭的一切都以此為主軸而重建。

而義大利的成功則是另一種故事，它論科技或大工業與許多國家都沒得比，因此手工業的精緻化，甚至把電腦設計功能引入，遂成了它的方向，使得義大利一千多個城鎮都靠手工業為主，而在全球化的此刻，精緻市場擴大，這些小地方就更發了。甚至已有人說，再過幾年，說不定西西里紅酒會取代法國紅酒。義大利的故事是資本主義歷史上最特別的一章，人們可以在高科技時代靠傳統手工業過著快樂有格調的富裕生活。

而南韓又是另一個不同的故事。它的地理位置使它成為人類經驗裡最可怕的「前線國家」，一旦有事，就會淪為生靈塗炭的「代理戰爭」戰場。於是，南韓遂以極大的智慧與勇氣，要把最不利的地理位置這一點變成最有利的利基。於是它重新調整國家策略與思考方式，開始把臉朝向北韓、中國大陸與俄國，而背則對著美國和日本。南韓由附庸變成了主導，而它的信心、格局，周遭的關係全都打開。

而我們與前述三國真沒得比。這三國皆有遠見，用遠見主導思想，讓歷史和地理給予它們的限制，全都翻轉成了新的資本和機會，而我們呢？當歷史替我們打開機會之窗，我們卻迫不及待要關上，我們自己去扭曲歷史，當然一併連自己也扭曲。當南韓已告別「前線國家」，我們卻想著要成為「代理戰爭」的戰場。當然更別說一下子要往東南亞「南向」，一下子要「前進越南」，現在又要「前進印度」，恍若無頭蒼蠅了。思想不對，就再也做不出對的事情來，只剩想到那裡就口號喊到那裡的亂了套，而它要亂到何時才罷休？

愛爾蘭寫傳奇

人均ＧＤＰ所得 遠高於英國 抓準利基 外資生根 愛爾蘭寫傳奇
陳一姍/都柏林報導

對應於台灣、韓國、新加坡、香港的亞洲四小龍，在歐洲，被譽為凱爾特虎（Celtic Tiger）的愛爾蘭經濟奇蹟是個傳奇。不像亞洲有四個，愛爾蘭是歐洲唯一的傳奇。

她的傳奇，在於短短二十年間每人國內所得超越愛恨糾葛的世仇—英國。二ＯＯ四年愛爾蘭每人ＧＤＰ四萬四千九百二十三美元，遠高於英國三萬五千五百六十六美元。更難的是，當成本推升，她仍讓外資生根，從低成本優勢轉型到研發、服務業重鎮。在洛桑管理學院針對六十個國家競爭力評比上，愛爾蘭吸引外人投資持續保持在前三名；在卡內基梅隆大學編制的創新力指標上，自一九九五以來愛爾蘭的人才與科技技術成長率得分○．八九，遠高於第二名芬蘭○．六，甚至美國○．三三、英國○．一五，爆發力驚人。
比起深受大陸磁吸效應所苦的台灣，一樣受東歐、印度威脅的愛爾蘭，成績卻令人驚艷。台北市長馬英九歐洲招商，惟獨十五日到愛爾蘭，定位為「學習之旅」。

利用外資 促成現代化

利用跨國企業促成國家現代化，是凱爾特虎不變的策略。只是過去靠的是低成本、歐洲市場，未來要靠高附加價值與生產力。

分析凱爾特虎奇蹟的研究，通常會以一九八七年，愛爾蘭以一Ｏ％超優惠稅率，建立金融、外商租稅特區為轉捩點。但愛爾蘭人認為，最大轉捩點是一九七三年獲准加入歐盟前身—歐洲共同市場。在那之前，愛爾蘭八成出口到英國，加入歐盟後，市場大上了十倍。加上，許多美國企業認為歐盟成形後，區內貿易會取代區外貿易，因此積極到歐洲布點。愛爾蘭定位自己是外商前進歐洲市場的跳板，加上當時每人國民所得只有歐盟平均七成，愛爾蘭低成本，加上英語優勢，吸引了不少美商，如：戴爾、ＩＢＭ、ＨＰ等資訊科技公司，來設組裝中心。

在九十年代，搭上科技產業高成長便車，愛爾蘭經濟成長率趁勢而起。「當時吸引外資首要目標是創造工作。」愛爾蘭投資與發展局（ＩＤＡ）金融業事業部負責人萊恩斯（Deirdre Lyons）說。ＩＤＡ是愛爾蘭負責招商的半政府機構。

清楚定位 衝高競爭力

愛爾蘭政策都有其目標，一些看似僥倖的隨意，其實背後都有規畫的邏輯。萊恩斯說，愛爾蘭很清楚，未來高成長的行業是科技、生技與金融。愛爾蘭小，要參與高成長產業，一定得選利基產品、利基機會。以位在都柏林港區，一九八九年設立的國際金融服務業中心（ＩＦＳＣ）為例，愛爾蘭不跟英國、紐約爭金融中心，卻定為跨國銀行進軍歐陸的後勤中心。以花旗為例，十二年前在都柏林只有八十人，如今卻在都柏林建立後勤中心，負責全集團十大業務，員工超過一千一百人。而競爭基礎平等的新興領域—如資產管理，愛爾蘭則以低稅率，讓許多公司願意把基金登記在愛爾蘭名下。洛桑國家競爭力評比中，愛爾蘭管理資產金額全球第一。

愛爾蘭人才的品質與態度，更深化跨國企業對愛爾蘭的依賴。在還很窮的六十年代，在愛爾蘭念高中就免學費，九十年代更擴大，念大學也免費。六成愛爾蘭孩子，擁有大專以上學歷，使得愛爾蘭人力素質高。ＩＢＭ一位資深副總裁就說，印度客服中心只能處理照表操課的簡單服務，比起來，愛爾蘭客服人員就很靈活，能夠處理比較複雜的難題。

配合外商需要與經濟定位，愛爾蘭對移民採取比歐盟各國更開放的態度。能說二十二種語言的ＩＢＭ歐洲銷售與客服中心，就設在愛爾蘭。

「我們愛爾蘭人普遍有一種確信能夠做到（you can do）的工作態度。」一九九四年，花旗在愛爾蘭第一位本地雇用的研究所畢業生，現任信託事業後勤主管萊特（Browyn Wright）說。她舉花旗愛爾蘭產品研發中心為例，這是花旗美國境外唯一的研發中心，負責投資管理業務的電子交易研發，花旗看上就是愛爾蘭人自動自發的態度。

自信積極 人力素質高

除了確信自己能做到，在愛爾蘭採訪，另一個常常聽到的詞是「問題總要解決」。這種解決問題的態度，讓小國愛爾蘭快速回應外商的需求，形塑一種開放討論的傳統。以資產管理業為例，愛爾蘭是歐洲第一個採用準則制，而非法規制的國家，讓法規對於創新、交易的阻礙降到最低。「愛爾蘭政府有許多非正式的溝通管道。」美國籍的愛爾蘭科學基金會負責人哈里斯說，以ＩＤＡ為例，雖然是一個半官方組織，但若是外商遭遇問題，招商局總經理可以一通電話打給愛爾蘭經濟部長。外人投資的大案子，ＩＤＡ談完補貼、條件，直接送部長室，時間不拖過一周。「我們是個很小的社區」所有愛爾蘭人都一再強調。

從低成本組裝中心，到現在研發、服務業中心，愛爾蘭顛覆了外資逐低成本水草而居的想像，漸漸在小島上生根。「很多事都不是計畫好的，而是一種意外。」在法國長大的愛爾蘭裔，歐盟駐台北經貿辦事處代表麥百賢說。而愛爾蘭時報執行副總編輯馬塔（Peter Matargh）則形容：「是一種累積到一個量後的tipping point。」

低稅政策 成洗稅天堂

愛爾蘭成功利用外資現代化，原本落後的農業經濟，升級到服務業經濟。但低稅率政策，也在歐盟引起許多爭議。「愛爾蘭可能變成『洗稅天堂』。」愛爾蘭聯合工會遊說團體經濟顧問保羅．史維尼（Paul Sweeney）就批評。

史維尼認為，因為愛爾蘭稅率低，許多跨國公司會把利潤放在這裡，政府稅收其實是超徵。去年底，Ｇoogle決定在愛爾蘭設歐洲總部，《華爾街日報》就報導，這樣的決策，可能與Google節稅有關。因為愛爾蘭對專利交易免交易稅。

大量ＧＤＰ由外商創造，外界也質疑，愛爾蘭人是否真的那麼有錢？長久以來，愛爾蘭ＧＤＰ與ＧＮＰ間就有一定差距。ＧＤＰ代表在愛爾蘭境內的經濟產值，包含外商在內；ＧＮＰ則是以國民為單位，才是愛爾蘭人創造的產值。二○○四年，這兩個數字差了近兩成。包括前愛爾蘭總理費茲傑羅都指出，愛爾蘭經濟奇蹟的挑戰，在於是否能讓更多愛爾蘭人受惠。根據聯合國人類發展報告，愛爾蘭所得不均度，屬於全球偏高的國家。

愛爾蘭人是有自己的問題待解，但是沒有人能夠否認現存的經濟奇蹟。