Technology
Convergence on Hand
- Convergence of IT,BT,NT, a trend to create future technologies

The age of digital technology convergence is on hand in a speedy manner due to abundant ideas held by individuals and small groups, as Lee Ki-tae, president of Samsung Electronics, said in describing the future of IT, BT and NT technology convergence.
Convergence among high technologies has become a world trend. Such renowned world magazines like Time, Business Week, and Forbes always make comments about "technology convergence" when they print stories about new technologies or technologies that would be responsible for the future of technologies.
A researcher with Pohang University of Science and Technology Biotech Center said in the 21st century, the problems left unsolved with science will be solved through technology convergence.
Independent science sectors such as biotech, information tech, and nano tech are being converged with the help of the development of the computer science, creating future technologies based on new paradigm. Domestic firms and science community, too, have been high on the development of technology convergence that merges good points of different technologies with new scientific and industrial results.
The scale of Nano technology related market is being projected at $13 billion. The National Science Foundation of the United States estimates that the market will be scaled down to $100 billion by 2015, which is the reason for advanced countries expanding investment. Many countries in the world have been knocking at the industry due to its high possibility for success and lower threshold for entrance.
Fortune magazine's 10 best firms 50 years later in 2054 included only four current firms with six still yet to be created. Those six new firms included those from China and India based on BT and NT, showing the potential power of those new technologies in the future. Hwang Chang-kyu, president of Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Business, said the areas where synergy can be created with the merger of IT will provide a momentum for young people to realize their dreams, singling out BT.
Nano technology deals with 1 billionth of a meter of material or equipment and is being looked upon as a force for new industrialization, necessary as a factor for leading global market for semiconductors and digital goods.
An official of the Science Technology Renovation Center said nano technology is a core technology for future national growth engine with close relations to information communication, parts material and biotech, almost with all areas and its importance cannot be overemphasized.
In the case of the United States, almost all investment in R&D have been reduced, except in the area of nano technology, which, in fact, has been increased. The U.S. government invests $800 million annually in the area of nano technology and the private sector investment amounts to $2 billion, about half of $4 billion invested in the technology worldwide.
The Japanese government invests $500 million in the development of the technology annually. Korea started the development of the nano technology more than 10 years behind advanced countries, but is has been able to catch up with them. According to the National Patent Office, Korea ranks within 10th around the world in terms of the development of nano technology with the application for patent rights for the technology rising rapidly in the country. But the country cannot be too proud of its achievement because its technology level is not there yet. Experts say the country needs continued and selective investment in concentrated areas.
India has been going through a "bio revolution" exporting its highly trained IT manpower overseas. An Indian pharmaceutical firm surprised the world with its development of new drugs totaling around 1,200 kinds. The company supplies 160 of them all over the world including the U.S. and Korea.
Shanghai is the center of BT research in China and the center is on the verge of completing the development of drugs to treat strokes and high blood pressure by using traditional pharmaceutical material. Korea plans to develop its Daeduck R&D center near Daejon to be a "revolutionary cluster" for IT, BT, and NT within 10 years. By 2015, the Ministry of Science and Technology plans to have 3,000 high-tech firms to locate in the cluster, including 20 foreign R&D centers, to generate 500 billion won in profit on sales of 30 trillion won. nw