BusinessWeek focuses on Koreas success in strategic investment to enable Korea to successfully compete worldwide.

Last year they launched a plan to expand Korea’s economic base by promoting robotics and 16 other next-generation ventures. Seoul has invested $500 million in R&D and pilot projects to test education, entertainment and disaster-fighting robots. This includes the new R-Learning system scheduled for 500 preschools in 2011 ramping up to 8,000 by 2013.

Robot exports jumped 10.5% in 2009 to $809 million. Korea aims to become one of top three robot manufacturers (currently #5).

America’s roadmap for robotics development still floundering in the halls of Congress.