An Italian business daily has called South Korea's remarkable efforts in science and technology a "holy war."

Il Sole 24 Ore recently said the country has declared a holy war on science and is recognized as an Asian leader in the field.

The daily warned that the scale and pace of Asia's research and development have overtaken those of the United States and European Union, with the European Union risking falling greatly behind.

A diplomat for science affairs at the Italian Embassy in Seoul also called South Korea the nation with the utmost dynamism in science and technology.