The electronic guts of Apple's iPad tablet computer show a technological power shift from Japan to Korea, according to British newspaper The Times.

The daily reports that a recent teardown analysis of the new gadget suggests that the most expensive and sophisticated components are Korean, such as LG's LCD screen and Samsung's NAND flash memory.

In response, Japanese electronic companies are reportedly expressing panic over their diminishing dominance in the market.

However the newspaper says Korea is not completely welcoming the increasing global influence of its component manufacturers as the iPad and iPhone are depriving sales of Korean netbooks and smartphones.