Recently, amid China"s accelerating technological progress and efforts to break through US technology blockades, there has been growing discussion in South Korea about pursuing pragmatic cooperation with Chinese companies. In certain areas, the two countries could develop new forms of collaboration, though the depth of such cooperation may depend on the extent to which South Korea can maintain strategic autonomy in the face of US policy pressures.

　　The global industrial chain was once relatively simple, following a "center-periphery" vertical division of labor: Western economies held the technological core, while manufacturing shifted to more efficient countries, with China and South Korea among the fastest-growing economies. Today, the chain is increasingly networked and multipolar, with resilience taking priority. In this context, competing with China in high-tech sectors is unlikely to be a viable strategy for South Korea; it would be better positioned as a key node in the regional innovation ecosystem.

　　East and Southeast Asian industrial chains are moving toward multipolar coexistence. China"s scale in research and development, market size, and talent is hard for South Korea to fully match, making it unlikely that South Korea can maintain a sustained, comprehensive technological lead over China.

　　South Korea can instead focus on high-end, cutting-edge segments to maintain its competitive edge and remain an irreplaceable regional supplier.

　　Regional supply chains are increasingly near-shored, with South Korean companies expanding into Vietnam, Indonesia, and beyond, while still importing key components from China. By securing an important role in the regional ecosystem and utilizing China"s technology to access third-party markets, South Korean companies could gain profits and market share. A cooperative, rather than rivaling mindset, would strengthen its global competitiveness.