The convergence of science and technology with other industrial sectors is the key to the government’s “creative economy” policies that aim to create the nation’s new growth engines and more related jobs.

In a bid to elevate productivity and add new values across industries, diverse experiments based on information technology are expected to be carried out in the coming years.

IT-based solutions will bring fresh vigor to the nation’s rural areas that have been hit hard by the falling birthrate and fast-aging population. With related R&D work starting next year, pilot programs such as management systems for livestock breeders and energy-efficient greenhouses will be carried out starting in 2016 nationwide. 

The nation’s land and transport infrastructure is expected to lead innovation. A new LTE technology-based railway control system will reduce subway traffic by 20 to 30 percent in the metropolitan area, while a more advanced global navigation satellite system is under development to better control air traffic.

The government is also preparing for the era of big data as it seeks to create a self-controlled ecosystem for the appropriate use of today’s proliferating information through Internet-connected and wireless devices.

Sensing business opportunities related to the new trend, the government will encourage not just public organizations but also private companies, especially portals and telecom operators, to share more data with the public.

In the latter half of this year, the government plans to establish a center for big data, where anyone, such as business seekers, solution developers, schools and institutions, can use big data for business or academic purposes.

The government also pledges a paradigm shift by changing the perception of online privacy from a liability to a new opportunity to develop the related protection and security markets. By 2017, the country aims to nurture roughly 5,000 experts specialized in online safety.

Education for a better understanding of the software and related industries also will be strengthened online, while new infrastructure such as industrial complexes and research centers will be set up dedicated exclusively to software convergence across industries.

The government will ramp up efforts to support the content industries and related business start-ups. About 400 billion won will be poured into developing the five “killer contents,” including K-pop, films, online games, animation and musicals.

Other futuristic industries such as biotechnology, nano materials and the environment will continue to receive support for development, while more investment will be injected into large-scale strategic businesses such as satellites, nuclear reactors and unmanned aircrafts for export.

“Under comprehensive, long-term plans, the government is aiming to discover new, promising businesses and markets and support them to secure an early edge in the global community,” said an official at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)