The government opened an international conference discussing Korean economic growth engines for the next five to ten years Thursday in Seoul.

A total of 31 international and Korean experts attending the two-day conference presented their visions for the Korean economy, with particular emphasis on fields where the country has the greatest potential to develop a competitive edge.

In a keynote speech, President Roh Moo-hyun said he will focus the nation's energies on the technology and knowledge-intensive industries to achieve the goal of increasing Korea's per capita gross domestic product to US$20,000.

Korea's per capita GDP stood at $10,013 last year, surpassing the $10,000 mark for the first time since the 1997-98 foreign exchange crisis.