South Korea cracks world's top 5 innovators while China edges Japan

Turkey, Vietnam, India and the Philippines can change landscape for good: WIPO

20210920N SK robot

An ice carving robot at a bar in Seoul: South Korea was the highest-ranking Asian country in the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index this year. © Reuters

TOGO SHIRAISHI and JACK STONE TRUITT, Nikkei staff writers

PARIS/NEW YORK -- South Korea has placed among the top five technological innovators for the first time, according to the latest global ranking, as other Asian economic powers moved up the hierarchy.

South Korea jumped from 10th place to fifth in this year's Global Innovation Index, the World Intellectual Property Organization reported Monday. The East Asian country was bested only by Switzerland, Sweden, the U.S. and the U.K.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.