문 대통령, 부품업체 방문…“日수출규제, 강소기업엔 도약의 기회”
Japan's export measures could end up being a silver lining for Korean businesses.
That it provides a chance to focus on strengthening local parts and materials industries.
Such is the message delivered by President Moon Jae-in during a visit to a promising firm that successfully reduced reliance on Tokyo.
Park Hee-jun shares with us his remarks. Technology feeds the country.
This was the key message by President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday during his first on-site visit to a firm,... since Japan started taking measures to tighten regulations on its exports to South Korea.
Emphasizing the importance of self-made technology,... he said that was what helped transform Korea from a colony into a developed country.
"Japan is said to have envied our potters the most during its invasion of Korea in 1592. The driving force of our economic growth during the colonial era was technology. We became the sole newly-independent nation to become a developed nation, because we nurtured scientists and technicians and developed our own technology instead of just copying advanced nations' products."
The company he visited was SBB Tech in the city of Gimpo, west of Seoul.
SBB Tech is the first South Korean company to successfully develop a key part in robotics harmonic decelerators.
Harmonic decelerators used to be imported mostly from Japan,... making them highly vulnerable to Japan's recent move to exclude South Korea from its whitelist.
But with a great amount of time and investment,... SBB managed to free itself from reliance on Japan.
President Moon pointed to the firm as a strong example,... that the imminent difficulties could be a positive turning point, especially for smaller businesses.
"There are challenges posed by the trade restrictions, but for SBB this can end up being an opportunity."
"That's right. It's a chance for us to completely localize."
To ensure Korean firms boost their capabilities, the president promised his government's full support.
Pointing out that South Korea has the highest R&D expenditure to GDP ratio in the world,... President Moon called for increased distribution of R&D to smaller companies to help enhance their competitiveness in parts and materials.
He also instructed the Ministry of Science and ICT to better assist them in supplying their technology and products to major companies.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.
