The nation’s science and technology capability is ranked 12th among 30 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The report by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry said Sunday that Korea's ranking remained at 12th place for the third straight year in the composite science and technology innovation index for 2008.

Korea's score was 11.24 out of 31, about 54 percent of the score of survey leader the United States (21.01). Switzerland and Japan rounded out the top three.

The index, created by the ministry in 2006, is designed to keep tabs on where the country stands in scientific competitiveness.