This study, as part of an effort to stop the undermining of Korea's national competitiveness and instead promote it, compares the evaluation models for assessing national competitiveness around the world and looks at where major advanced countries stand in terms of national competitiveness and which strategies they apply to move ahead. The study also includes a comparative study and analysis on the national development strategies and human resource development policies of Korea and major industrialized countries, and draws on the comparison to identify what issues are at hand as well as suggest how individuals, corporate entities and the government can contribute to increased national competitiveness. The conclusion of the study boils down to the following: first, information technology penetration rates and human resources have become a bigger factor in assessing national competitiveness than the past; second, major industrialized countries adopt an innovation-driven strategy; third, advanced countries selects a number of fields based on where their knowledge-based economy stands and concentrates their resources to those selected fields to maximize results; fourth, Korea lacks a core field in its strategies for increased national competitiveness and human resource development policies while at the same time aiming to embrace drastic change in a relatively short period of time, exposing itself to many risks. The issues the study identified are as follows: first, there is a need to change the name of the current Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development; second, the authority for education administration should not be concentrated in the central government but handed down to local governments and schools; third, strategies for increased national competitiveness and human resource development policies should remain consistent and long-term based, regardless of a change of governmental administration. To tackle the above-mentioned issues, the following are suggested: first, individuals must actively participate in social developments as members of the society and commit themselves to life-long education; second, corporate entities, and CEOs in particular must have a vision for and philosophy of human resource development; third, for the government's part, politicians and governmental organizations should adopt change in their mindsets, while shifting the 'level-ground policies' towards 'competition-based policies' in education and carrying out deregulation.