[noxin]

Interesting, the global competitiveness report of the WEF lists South Korea as rank 20 for innovation.

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-2017/05FullReport/TheGl... [PDF] page 50

[ch4ck]

The good thing about rankings is that you have many to choose from.

[wott]

Yes, there is always at least one where each city/country can claim the first place, so that local newspapers can make an article about how that piece of land is better than others and local political leaders can show that they achieved something.