Active Support for Research Institute Cooperation Projects Including Arranging High-Level Meetings with the US Government

Lee Changyoon, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Holds Meeting with Government-Funded Research Institutes

"We will actively support facilitating high-level meetings with the new US administration to further expand and advance cooperative projects of government-funded research institutes."

The government has decided to actively support cooperation projects between the US and government-funded research institutes, including arranging high-level meetings with the US government. On the 19th, Lee Chang-yoon, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, made this statement during a meeting held in the Daedeok Special Zone with major government-funded research institutes to strengthen Korea-US science and technology cooperation.

Lee Chang-yoon, 1st Vice Minister of Science and ICT. Photo by Yonhap News

This meeting was organized to share the outcomes of Vice Minister Lee Chang-yoon’s February business trip to Boston with research institutes and to discuss the discovery of science and technology cooperation projects with the new US administration. A total of 12 institutions, including the National Research Council of Science & Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Energy Research, and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, participated with over 30 attendees.

Prior to the meeting, the Ministry of Science and ICT shared information on the science and technology trends of the new US administration and the situation regarding the US Department of Energy (DoE) designation of sensitive countries with the government-funded research institutes. The Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning also presented on the 'US Science and Technology Vision' and the changing concept of 'Science Diplomacy' prepared by key figures in the US scientific community.

Each research institute presented Korea-US cooperation items they are promoting at the institutional level and engaged in in-depth discussions on challenges and future development directions.

Vice Minister Lee stated, "To continuously strengthen science and technology cooperation with the new US administration, the role of our government-funded research institutes, which have cooperative networks with US national laboratories and leading universities, is very important," expressing the government’s intention to provide active support.

Regarding the recent designation of sensitive countries by the US Department of Energy, Vice Minister Lee said, "The Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed through dialogue with the Department of Energy that there are no issues with science and technology cooperation and that there is willingness for future cooperation," adding, "We will continue efforts to resolve the issue in cooperation with related ministries."