← INNOVATIVE ECOSYSTEMS
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    South Korea

    Tier 1
    East Asia · #4 of 32 curated markets · IEPA 2024 (final) · 2026 current estimate available
    70.2▼ -0.3 YoY
    ●●●0.91IEPA COMPOSITE
    SIX FACTORS · CLICK ANY SCORE FOR ITS EVIDENCE
    IEPA TRAJECTORY · 2010–2026
    2010201220142016201820202022202420264048566472
    CAPITAL FLOWS · FDI NET INFLOWS % OF GDP
    2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202400.350.71.051.4
    IE FDI intelligence · synced weekly
    PRODUCTIVE CAPABILITY
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    #3of 145 ranked economies▲ 1 place since 2010
    How much productive know-how this market has demonstrated, read from the range and rarity of what it makes competitively.
    20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202412345
    CAPABILITY RANK · HIGHER IS BETTER
    241
    Diversity
    Distinct products made at competitive scale.
    +1.60
    Capability score
    Standardized: 0 is the world average.
    +0.98
    Outlook
    Value of the new products within reach of what it already does.
    INDUSTRY STRENGTHS · REVEALED FROM TRADE EVIDENCE
    VINTAGE 2022-2024
    POSITION IN THE PRODUCT SPACE
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Electronic and Electrical Goods29 of 73 made · 70% of the rest within reach
    Industrial Chemicals and Metals59 of 157 made · 55% of the rest within reach
    Metalworking and Electrical Machinery and Parts48 of 155 made · 80% of the rest within reach
    Construction, Building, and Home Supplies27 of 104 made · 60% of the rest within reach
    Textile and Home Goods14 of 78 made · 53% of the rest within reach
    Minerals5 of 48 made · 35% of the rest within reach
    Textile Apparel and Accessories2 of 50 made · 6% of the rest within reach
    Agriculture5 of 200 made · 15% of the rest within reach
    MADE COMPETITIVELYONE STEP AWAY
    Widest opening is Metalworking and Electrical Machinery and Parts. This market makes 31% of that cluster today, and 80% of what it does not make sits one step from something it already does.
    Textile Apparel and Accessories is the furthest: 4% made, and only 6% of the rest is within one step. A move there means building capability rather than extending it.
    READ ON THE 189 OF 241 COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS THAT CARRY A POSITION IN THE CAPABILITY MAP
    POSITIONED TO BUILD NEXT
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Screws and similar articles of iron or steel$41B world market
    Mining, Metals & MaterialsOPENS 0.36 · COMPLEXITY +0.91
    Machinery for working rubber or plastics$30B world market
    Machinery & Industrial EquipmentOPENS 0.34 · COMPLEXITY +0.99
    Machinery parts, not containing electrical features, n.e.c.$13B world market
    Machinery & Industrial EquipmentOPENS 0.32 · COMPLEXITY +0.97
    Instruments for physical or chemical analysisENERGY TRANSITION$50B world market
    Electronics & SemiconductorsOPENS 0.31 · COMPLEXITY +1.20
    Pumps, compressors, fans, etc.ENERGY TRANSITION$89B world market
    Machinery & Industrial EquipmentOPENS 0.29 · COMPLEXITY +0.85
    Heterocyclic compounds with oxygen hetero-atom(s) only$9B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.28 · COMPLEXITY +1.17
    THE NEAREST OPTIONS AMONG 367 PRODUCTS ASSESSED · RANKED BY HOW MUCH EACH OPENS UP NEXT
    LIVE SIGNALS
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    Nikkei Asia · Economic Policy
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    Data center insurers confront new risks as market reaches $10bn
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    Industrial spies prey on chance encounters to turn targets into informants
    Nikkei Asia · Economic Policy
    [LAUGHING THROUGH HISTORY 30] 'Do You Wash Your Face in the Nude?'
    Korea Times · Aug 14 · Economic Policy
    PEERS · TIER 1
    🇲🇾Malaysia64.5→🇦🇪UAE71.2→🇸🇦Saudi Arabia58.1→🇻🇳Vietnam57.4→
    ECOSYSTEM DENSITY
    IE Ecosystem Registry · 2026-07-17
    2,935organizations indexed across 10 types · 2,148 mapped
    Research organizations
    600
    Universities & research bodies
    576
    Accelerators
    530
    Corporate R&D
    415
    Health research
    304
    Incubators
    248
    Government bodies
    118
    SEZ authorities
    86
    Fab labs & makerspaces
    51
    Science & tech parks
    7
    Universities, corporate R&D, government bodies, incubators, accelerators, science parks, and special economic zones, indexed today.Explore the directory →
    ORGANIZATIONS
    a sample of 2,935 indexed
    (사)한국창업지도사협회
    Accelerators · 서울
    (주)심산이노베이션
    Accelerators · 서울
    (재)강릉과학산업진흥원 창업보육센터
    Incubators · 강원특별자치도
    (재)진주바이오산업진흥원 창업보육센터
    Incubators · 경상남도
    INNOPOLIS - Korea Innovation Foundation
    Science & tech parks · Daejeon
    Masan Free Trade Zone
    SEZ authorities · Seoul · 1970
    Daejeon 1 General Industrial Complex
    SEZ authorities · Seoul · 1973
    Sungkyunkwan University
    Universities & research bodies · Seoul · 1398
    Catholic University of Korea
    Universities & research bodies · Seoul · 1855
    Pfizer (South Korea)
    Corporate R&D · Seoul · 1849
    Corning (South Korea)
    Corporate R&D · Seoul · 1851
    Members get the full directory, filters, and exports.See all 2,935 organizations →
    Run the full diagnostic →Talk to IE about South Korea →