Deregulation holds the key to robot race victory
Published: 26 Dec. 2024, 19:30
PARK CHUL-WAN
The author is a professor at Seojeong University and vice president of the Korea Association of Robot Industry.
One of the preemptive responses to the economic crisis is the development of new growth engines such as “advanced humanoids.” Here, China gives us an important example.
China, which moves the market through state control and planning, has embarked on nationally supporting the development of high-tech humanoids. Recently, the authority and duties of local governments have been strengthened. A progress completely different from a democratic style of autonomous development and investment is now happening in China.
From the start, China’s advanced humanoid development is different from that of Korea. The growth model of Korea is “serial compressed growth” over several decades. Industries are swiftly developed in sequence. China’s growth is “parallel super-compressed transcendental growth.” China attained super-rapid growth simultaneously by breaking boundaries and limits in many high-tech areas. We must watch for the possible scenario of the strengths of the Chinese system offsetting its weaknesses and secure overwhelming dominance in competition.
China’s advanced humanoid strategy is an extension of the national theme of “Made in China 2025.” In other words, China’s strategy is to surpass neighboring competitors through advanced manufacturing automation based on “building a modernized industrial system through science and technology innovation.”
According to the “2024 World Robotics Report” presented at the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China has jumped from fifth place in 2022 to third place in robot density in the manufacturing sector. It is growing the fastest. Currently, Korea is ranked at the top but has to be on high alert. China’s rapid increase in robot density signifies a possibility for the synergy of a quantitative expansion of rising automation penetration and a qualitative reinforcement of advancement in automation through high-tech humanoids.
The advanced humanoid strategy is for the survival and revival of the manufacturing industry, which is inevitable for industrialized advanced economies entering an aging society. Korea should have started in earnest at least five years ago. China, which actually has more time to spare than Korea, is more aggressively pursuing the transformation. The Chinese government is even providing direct subsidies.
Lee Kun-hee’s evaluation that Korean politics is fourth-tier, bureaucrats and administrative organizations are third-tier and companies are second-tier is still painfully true today. Companies have become first-tier, but what about politics, bureaucrats and administration? We should devise certain “direct assistance” within the boundary that the system allows. Also, industries should be given breathing room with strict market-oriented deregulation like the United States.
The author is a professor at Seojeong University and vice president of the Korea Association of Robot Industry.
One of the preemptive responses to the economic crisis is the development of new growth engines such as “advanced humanoids.” Here, China gives us an important example.
China, which moves the market through state control and planning, has embarked on nationally supporting the development of high-tech humanoids. Recently, the authority and duties of local governments have been strengthened. A progress completely different from a democratic style of autonomous development and investment is now happening in China.
From the start, China’s advanced humanoid development is different from that of Korea. The growth model of Korea is “serial compressed growth” over several decades. Industries are swiftly developed in sequence. China’s growth is “parallel super-compressed transcendental growth.” China attained super-rapid growth simultaneously by breaking boundaries and limits in many high-tech areas. We must watch for the possible scenario of the strengths of the Chinese system offsetting its weaknesses and secure overwhelming dominance in competition.
China’s advanced humanoid strategy is an extension of the national theme of “Made in China 2025.” In other words, China’s strategy is to surpass neighboring competitors through advanced manufacturing automation based on “building a modernized industrial system through science and technology innovation.”
According to the “2024 World Robotics Report” presented at the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China has jumped from fifth place in 2022 to third place in robot density in the manufacturing sector. It is growing the fastest. Currently, Korea is ranked at the top but has to be on high alert. China’s rapid increase in robot density signifies a possibility for the synergy of a quantitative expansion of rising automation penetration and a qualitative reinforcement of advancement in automation through high-tech humanoids.
The advanced humanoid strategy is for the survival and revival of the manufacturing industry, which is inevitable for industrialized advanced economies entering an aging society. Korea should have started in earnest at least five years ago. China, which actually has more time to spare than Korea, is more aggressively pursuing the transformation. The Chinese government is even providing direct subsidies.
Lee Kun-hee’s evaluation that Korean politics is fourth-tier, bureaucrats and administrative organizations are third-tier and companies are second-tier is still painfully true today. Companies have become first-tier, but what about politics, bureaucrats and administration? We should devise certain “direct assistance” within the boundary that the system allows. Also, industries should be given breathing room with strict market-oriented deregulation like the United States.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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