In 2007, the Korean shipbuilding industry maintained its strong performance, with the number of ship orders received rising by over 58% compared to 2006. Additionally, patent applications related to technological development in the sector surged by more than 43%. According to data from the UK-based Clarkson Research Company at the end of January 2008, South Korea secured 32 million CGT in ship orders that year, leading the world and accounting for 40.4% of global orders.
The Korean Patent Office reported that the average annual number of patent applications in the shipbuilding sector (B63) increased by 20.2% over the past five years. In 2007 alone, the increase was a sharp 43.4% compared to 2006, outpacing other regions by 5.3 percentage points. Over the previous four years (2002–2005), China averaged 589 patent applications annually in the shipbuilding sector, Japan 544, and Europe 290, while South Korea averaged 533 over the last five years, closely matching Japan’s level.
Notably, major Korean shipbuilders such as Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine saw dramatic increases in patent applications—rising 5.1 times and 4.8 times, respectively, compared to 2006. This surge is partly attributed to the high licensing fees paid to French company GTT, which totaled over 1 trillion won.
In the knowledge-based economy, core patent technology plays a crucial role. However, despite the significant rise in patent applications—776 in 2007—the volume still appears insufficient relative to the scale of the Korean shipbuilding industry. The growing focus on innovation reflects the country's efforts to strengthen its competitive edge in a global market increasingly driven by intellectual property.
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