Korean-Norwegian relations date back to the Korean War, when a Norwegian field hospital was established at Dongducheon. It created the base for strong personal ties and friendship between many Norwegians and Koreans, particularly in the medical field, which still last. In 1958 the three Scandinavian countries also established the National Medical Centre in Seoul.
Trade between Norway and Korea has grown significantly over the past ten years. There is increased cooperation in areas such as fisheries and other marine areas, ICT, energy and in the environmental field. Exports from Norway to Korea in 2007 were approximately US$1, 1 billion. Major export items from Norway to Korea include ship equipment, machinery and seafood. The imports from Korea to Norway in 2007 stood at approximately US$661 million. Ships, cars, chemicals, telephone systems, and textiles dominate exports from Korea.
Sectors like ICT, automobile equipment, aquaculture, energy as well as the environmental field are interesting for future trade and cooperation between Norway and Korea. Trade between Norway and Korea is currently in favor of exports from Norway to Korea, but varies basically according to the number of new ships built in Korea ordered by Norwegian ship-owners. Korea's investments in the Norwegian market are relatively small; apart from the chaebols few Korean companies are currently present in Norway.
Korea is universally recognized as one of the foremost countries in the ICT industry. Its passion and eagerness are clearly reflected in many new areas, such as mobile TV, mobile WiMAX (WiBro), HSDPA, IPTV, handheld devices, digital appliances, etc.
Still, Korea's ICT industry is heavily focused on the hardware industry, such as semiconductors, LCD, mobile phone, parts & components for digital equipments and appliances, and so on. In short, more than 70% of its ICT industry production is coming from hardware business. In addition, its ICT service investment and development is still very much weighted onto the network infrastructure side.
Considering Korea's economic situation and its highly sophisticated technological level, one should assess which areas should be further strengthened. Such future areas could be software, including open standards and embedded SW, applications based on social and business cultures, security, as well as basic studies regarding skills and knowledge for elementary technologies. In order to do this, Korea needs to provide incentives for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to compete with the Korean chaebols.
If I may use my own country's situation as an example, 80% of the Norwegian ICT industry is focused on software applications and the development of knowledge-based skills and technologies. The fact that most Norwegian ICT companies are SMBs, rather than large companies, which gives Norwegian ICT industry flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to a rapidly changing business environment. Also, Norway's traditions for less rigid organizational structures, friendly working environment and gender equality may contribute to innovation and creativity.
In fact, many large renowned global companies set up affiliates in Norway in order to capitalize on our basic technologies and innovative concepts/ideas for their future product/service developments. From the products we make, Norwegian and Korean ICT industries are to a large extent complimentary and we should have the best prerequisites to work together. Even though our two countries are far away geographically, they have many common cultural traits, which should make it easy to learn from each other.
