Three Reasons Why Korea Has Yet to Win a Nobel Science Prize [Reading Science]

Nobel Prize Museum. Photo by Nobel Foundation

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The 'Nobel Prize,' which began with the will of Swedish inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel 120 years ago, has become a stage in modern times to showcase a nation's comprehensive capabilities, including science and technology as well as social, political, and economic strengths. The Korean society's particular sensitivity to the Nobel Prize stems from this reason. However, while neighboring Japan has produced 25 laureates in the scientific fields alone up to this year, Korea has had none except for the late former President Kim Dae-jung's Peace Prize in 2000. The Korean scientific community cites the short history and underdevelopment of basic science due to insufficient support, a backward research culture that hinders young scientists' autonomous and creative research, and the isolated Korean scientific ecosystem as causes.

◇‘The Most Important Discovery’ is Fundamental

"Hearing that even this kind of research can earn a Nobel Prize makes me want to keep hope and work hard." On the 4th, after David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian were awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for elucidating how the human body senses spicy taste, pain, cold, and heat, Professor Han Hee-chul of Korea University College of Medicine expressed this sentiment. What may seem like mere 'curiosity satisfaction' to others reminded him once again of the Nobel science prize's principle of prioritizing 'the most important discovery.'

The Nobel science prizes are mainly awarded to scholars who have made remarkable contributions to the advancement of basic science. However, this criterion is considered Korea's biggest weakness in not yet producing a Nobel science laureate. Basic science research only began in Korea in the 1960s, so time for accumulation is needed. A model case for Korea is Professor Syukuro Manabe of Princeton University, USA, who won this year's Nobel Prize in Physics for developing a three-dimensional climate prediction model in the 1960s. At that time, the concept of meteorology was not even established in Korea.

Additionally, Korea's talent and academic research have been skewed toward applied science rather than basic science. Government policy and financial support have also focused on performance-oriented applied science. However, recently, investment in basic research has more than doubled from around 2 trillion won in 2017 to about 4 trillion won this year, reflecting concentrated investment. The scientific community analyzes that steady investment and policy support, unaffected by 'political winds,' are necessary to achieve results within 20 to 30 years.

Professor Kim Kyung-hak of Hanyang University said, "Government ministries are also opening and operating many support projects for developing fundamental technologies in new fields and for creative and challenging research beyond national development directions and interest topics," adding, "Rather than pointing out why we haven't won a Nobel Prize yet, we should now think that the time to win a Nobel Prize is coming."

Reference photo. Not related to the article.

◇Guaranteeing ‘Autonomy, Creativity, and Originality’

One of the biggest conditions for winning a Nobel science prize is that the research achievements must be original and have strong social and technological impact. This is only possible when autonomous and creative research activities are guaranteed. Also, a 'sparkling idea' or spirit of challenge is needed, so scholars often make their achievements in their 30s or 40s and receive the prize later in life. For example, great scholars like Albert Einstein, who proposed the quantum theory and won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Werner Heisenberg, who won the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the uncertainty principle and founding quantum mechanics, made their major achievements in their 20s.

According to the 'Comprehensive Analysis Report on Nobel Science Prizes' published by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) in 2019, analyzing the research results of Nobel science laureates over the past 11 years showed a chronological pattern where major research began at an average age of 38 and the Nobel Prize was awarded around age 69.

The problem is that young Korean scientists struggle with research allowances below minimum wage and living expenses, excessive administrative tasks, and various abuses including research misconduct. Many point out that they are obsessed with performance-oriented research and are suppressed by professors' authority, which controls employment, career paths, grades, and salaries, making autonomous and creative research a mere dream. A representative case is Mr. A, who, after suffering through 'project hell' working in the lab of a 'promising scholar' professor, barely graduated and gave up his dream of becoming a scientist by joining a large corporation. Mr. B also took on all kinds of tasks in the lab but had his graduation delayed by two years due to conflicts with his advisor, ultimately abandoning his major in brain engineering and entering a large company.

Graduate student Lee Jun-young of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) said, "Currently, the vertical lab culture makes it easy for professors to exert power over students, making free research difficult," and suggested, "This could be improved through administrative systems accessible externally, objective graduation criteria, and graduation systems including external committee members." Graduate student Kim Su-ji of KAIST also pointed out, "Foreign Nobel science laureates probably did not worry about employment, livelihood, or conflicts with advisors after graduation," adding, "Only a very small number of graduate students here can choose research topics freely and receive stable financial support."

2020 Nobel Prize in Economics announcement. Archive photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◇Broaden the Scope of the Korean Scientific Community

Recently, most Nobel science prizes have been awarded jointly through international collaborative research. Also, the academic 'network' that has continued for over 100 years in the US, Europe, Japan, and others plays a significant role. A kind of 'ecosystem' is formed where important research and discoveries are cited, discussed, and developed through joint research. However, Korean scientists, who belong to the 'periphery,' still have a narrow talent pool and limited exchange with the core international scientific community. Moreover, academic exchanges are skewed toward the US side.

The NRF report pointed out, "Our researchers need to actively communicate with leading overseas researchers to effectively lead international research cooperation," and added, "The government's active support for exchanges and domestic researchers' promotion of their achievements should also accompany this."