Passage 1
“Sweat”: In this sense, South Korea is treading a path not taken by Japan. While Japanese interests span the globe, few foreign firms have successfully penetrated Japan’s home turf. Korea, too, has a legacy of xenophobia; and the Koreans are clearly wary of opening their markets to highpowered Western competitors. But they are tentatively doing just that, so far with a momentum unmatched by Japan. The aim is to defuse the protectionist pressures that have hobbled U.S-Japanese trade relations and, in time, to enter the ranks of the world’s developed nations. That’s no small order, but the Koreans think it can be filled fairly simply. At bottom, says Nam Duc Woo, chairman of the Korea Traders Association, South Korea needs only “some degree of 【sweat】 and some degree of 【technological sophistication】.” And that’s precisely what has already lifted Korea, Inc. into contention.
37.What does the underlined phrase “technological sophistication” refer to?
It refers to the advancement of technology.