Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Ministry of Science and ICT Promote Creation of Research Environment Based on Autonomy and Responsibility...Advancing On-Site Implementation of the National Research and Development Innovation Act
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Science and ICT are strengthening the functions of the 'Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters' under the Ministry of Science and ICT, which is responsible for the overall coordination and supervision of science and technology across ministries.
On the 1st, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that, following the full enforcement of the 'National Research and Development Innovation Act' in January to create a research environment based on autonomy and responsibility, it will establish a new division to implement the new functions under the Act and strengthen its functions through organizational restructuring.
First, the Ministry will establish the 'Research Ethics and Rights Protection Division' within the Performance Evaluation Policy Bureau of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters to strengthen research ethics and establish a system to protect researchers' rights. While strictly sanctioning research misconduct, the new division will operate the newly introduced 'Review System for Sanction Reconsideration' under Article 33 of the National Research and Development Innovation Act to ensure that well-intentioned researchers do not suffer disadvantages.
Additionally, the 'Research System Innovation Division' will comprehensively oversee the National Research and Development Innovation Act and systematically promote institutional improvements that allow researchers to fully engage throughout all stages of research and development. Through this, the Ministry plans to support research institutions and specialized agencies in creating an environment conducive to researchers' immersion by establishing research support standards for research institutions newly introduced under the Act and conducting surveys on specialized agencies.
Furthermore, within the Performance Evaluation Policy Bureau, the 'Evaluation Review Division' and the 'Science and Technology Information Division' will be renamed as the 'Research Evaluation Innovation Division' and the 'Science and Technology Information Analysis Division,' respectively, to strengthen their functions. The Research Evaluation Innovation Division will play a role in enhancing researchers' autonomy and responsibility through research and development evaluations. Meanwhile, the Science and Technology Information Analysis Division will systematize the accumulation, utilization, and analysis of research and development project information through the establishment and operation of an integrated information system for national research and development projects, thereby improving researcher convenience.
The preliminary feasibility study tasks for research and development, previously handled by the Evaluation Review Division, will now be managed by a newly established 'Research and Development Feasibility Review Team.' Kim Seong-su, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “With this organizational restructuring, we will accelerate efforts to strengthen researchers' autonomy and responsibility throughout the entire research and development process and create an environment where they can fully immerse themselves in research. Ultimately, through changes in the research field, the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters will fulfill its role in developing innovative technologies that can improve the quality of life for the public.”
Han Chang-seop, Director of Government Innovation Organization at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, “We expect the National Research and Development Innovation Act to be successfully established on the ground through related organizational restructuring, including the establishment of a dedicated body to strengthen research ethics in government research and development projects and protect researchers' rights.”
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