Chairman Lee Taesik of KOFST Meets Deputy Prime Minister Chu to Request Additional R&D Budget

On the 7th, Lee Tae-sik, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies, visited Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho to request additional government research and development (R&D) budget allocation.

Chairman Lee Tae-sik of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies (right) paid a visit to Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Choo Kyung-ho on the 7th to request additional reflection of the government R&D budget. Photo by Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies

According to the Federation, Chairman Lee explained the necessity of additional government R&D budget allocation to strengthen support for basic research and early-career scientists, and conveyed the scientific community's commitment to actively participate in the government's R&D innovation efforts.

Chairman Lee stated, "To ensure the government R&D budget is operated efficiently, we will establish private-sector 'Inefficiency Improvement Committee (tentative name)' and 'Fiscal Policy Committee (tentative name)' so that experts from the science and technology community can participate in the government R&D budget formulation process. We will also faithfully perform a bridging role through organic cooperation with science and technology-related institutions."

Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "We will strive to strengthen support for early-career scientists, especially student researchers, so they can overcome employment instability, and carefully ensure that basic science research is not disrupted."