Many discussions on South Korean industrialization focus on the roles of government, large corporations, and labor, while treating technological innovation as a black box. This paper traces the genealogy of previous studies on technological development in Korea. Based on an appraisal of their merits, I will make some suggestions for future work. The focus of previous studies has changed from technological dependency to the development of technological capabilities. In addition, they have considered the stages, types, and characteristics of technological development in Korea. Despite their contributions, the historical facts surrounding the issue have not been sufficiently considered, leading to some limitations in the areas covered and levels of analyses. This paper suggests a more comprehensive technological innovation model, which will help capture the uneven technological development in Korean industries.