58% of firms to hike R&D investment.

(From The Korea Herald)

By Yoo Cheong-mo Staff reporter Despite growing economic uncertainties, more than half of recently polled local firms were determined to expand their research and development investments in 2003, a survey showed yesterday.

According to a poll of 621 businesses with affiliated research centers by the state-funded Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA), 57.7 percent said that they will increase their 2003 R&D budgets from this year. Another 38.2 percent vowed to keep next year's R&D investments at this year's levels, while merely 3.4 percent were found to be considering year-on-year reductions in spending, the poll said. …