[Reading Science] Abolishing R&D Preliminary Feasibility Study, Bipartisan Cooperation Must Be Achieved

"When will the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) stop boasting about Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Time Division Exchange (TDX) as its achievements?"

This is the voice of a startup CEO who attended the Science and ICT Activation Task Force (TF) meeting hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 16th. These two technologies are considered representative examples of how Korean science and technology have changed everyday life. However, CDMA dates back 30 years, and TDX 40 years. He interpreted ETRI’s continued emphasis on CDMA and TDX development achievements in its call connection tone as an example showing that subsequent research has not reached a level of national triumph.

This voice targets the current problems arising from our research and development (R&D) investments. Although the national R&D budget has grown, there is ongoing concern about whether government-led research has resulted in outcomes that meet the public’s expectations. He did not deny that government-funded research institutes play a major role in national R&D, but boldly acknowledged the reality that the center of R&D is shifting to the private sector, such as companies, and suggested that the government should set the agenda and steer the overall direction.

Our scientific community experienced an unprecedented shock last year with cuts to the R&D budget. This year, through President Yoon Suk-yeol’s remarks at the Fiscal Strategy Meeting, the preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for R&D has entered the process of complete abolition. This is even more radical than the expectation that PFS would be exempted for challenging R&D, but since President Yoon mentioned it directly, the direction is set. A year ago, President Yoon pointed out problems with the R&D budget and has now resolved to ease the scientific community’s anxiety by abolishing the R&D PFS.

Based on the National Finance Act, since 2008, preliminary feasibility studies have been conducted for new R&D projects with a total project cost exceeding 50 billion won. The purpose of the R&D PFS is to transparently and rationally decide investments in new projects requiring large-scale funding, thereby improving the efficiency of fiscal management. However, at some point, it became a ‘barrier of tears’ blocking rapid investment in science and technology. This is why voices calling for reform of the PFS system have continued in the scientific community.

Now that the direction is set, the method of implementation must be considered. There is a prerequisite for realizing the abolition of PFS: the National Finance Act must be amended. Currently, a bill to raise the PFS threshold from 50 billion won to 100 billion won is pending in the National Assembly. Since even raising the threshold from 50 billion won to 100 billion won has not been approved, it seems unlikely that a decision to abolish it entirely will pass the National Assembly given the current political landscape. The scientific community fears that the situation will not change in the 22nd National Assembly either.

The scientific community’s aspiration for rapid and bold investment through the abolition of R&D PFS has passed the first stage. The second stage requires related ministries, including the Presidential Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Science and ICT, to devote all efforts to explaining the necessity and complementary measures of PFS abolition to the National Assembly, especially the opposition parties. They must succeed even if it means pleading with opposition lawmakers. It is not the responsibility of a single ministry. Time is also limited.

At the same time as promoting the abolition of PFS, innovation in the R&D system must be appropriately balanced. Simply increasing the budget again or abolishing reviews will not easily gain public support. Apart from voices demanding the restoration of the R&D budget, there are also many citizens calling for transparency.