22 Science and Technology Research Institutes Deregistered as Public Institutions... "Active Recruitment of World-Class Scholars Possible"

Government-funded research institutes under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NRF), which have been bound by government regulations on personnel expenses and staffing for 16 years, will be deregistered as public institutions. The Korea Drug Prevention Movement Headquarters (hereinafter referred to as Madwoebon) has been newly designated as a public institution.

On the 31st, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Minister of Strategy and Finance, presided over the Public Institution Management Committee (hereinafter referred to as Gongunwi) and deliberated and approved the '2024 Public Institution Designation Plan' containing these details.

Deputy Prime Minister Choi stated, "In a situation where leading in science and technology determines the nation's future, a revolutionary shift in the management system is necessary to enable innovative and challenging research and development in the field of science and technology." He explained the purpose of deregistration by saying, "We intend to deregister the science and technology research institutes under the NRF from public institutions to actively attract outstanding talents such as world-renowned scholars and to ensure sufficient support of personnel and budget for core projects."

The research institutes deregistered from public institutions this time include ▲National Research Council of Science & Technology ▲Korea Institute of Science and Technology ▲Korea Basic Science Institute ▲Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute ▲Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology ▲Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information ▲Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine ▲Korea Institute of Industrial Technology ▲Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute ▲Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology ▲Korea Railroad Research Institute ▲Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science ▲Korea Food Research Institute ▲Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources ▲Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials ▲Korea Aerospace Research Institute ▲Korea Institute of Energy Research ▲Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute ▲Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology ▲Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute ▲Korea Institute of Materials Science ▲Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, totaling 22 institutes.

Going forward, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the competent ministry, plans to promptly establish a performance-based management system to enhance accountability.

The Public Institution Management Committee also plans to review the deregistration of 14 national university hospitals. Deputy Prime Minister Choi said, "Considering the need to enhance the autonomy of 14 national university hospitals to strengthen regional and essential medical capabilities, we intend to discuss the possibility of deregistration after thorough review."

In addition, the Water Resources and Environment Industry Promotion, which has lost its designation benefits due to consolidation with other institutions, will be deregistered as a public institution. Meanwhile, the Madwoebon, Korea Forest Technology Association, and Korea Statistical Information Service, which perform government-commissioned tasks, have been newly designated as public institutions. This is the first time that an institution conducting drug prevention and rehabilitation projects has been designated as a public institution.

Korea Expressway Corporation has been changed from a quasi-market type public enterprise to a market-type public enterprise, and the Small Enterprise and Market Service has been changed from a commissioned execution quasi-governmental agency to a fund management quasi-governmental agency.