[Reading Science] Retirement Age of Science and Technology Researchers

Discussions on extending the retirement age are in full swing. Nowadays, people consider someone elderly only when they reach their seventies. While the demand to work longer in line with increased life expectancy is rising, youth unemployment is also severe. Opinions vary, with some advocating for expanding reemployment after retirement, others saying that even if the statutory retirement age is delayed, companies will still push employees out early through voluntary retirement or layoffs, making the actual effect minimal.

Major countries overseas are gradually raising the statutory retirement age. Singapore is adjusting it from the current 63 to 65 by 2030, Germany from 66 to 67 by 2029, and France from 62 to 64 by 2030. Sweden has a retirement age of 67, while the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada have abolished the retirement age altogether.

The issue of extending the retirement age also exists in the scientific community. It is related to the low status of government-funded research institutes (GFRIs).

Last August, it was reported that Ki-Myung Lee, a leading theoretical physicist and deputy director of the Institute for Basic Science, known as an expert in string theory, would leave for the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA) in China after retiring. Supported by the Beijing city government and Tsinghua University, this institute was established in 2020, and he plans to continue his research there as a professor for five years.

China had previously launched the government-led Thousand Talents Program in 2008 to attract overseas scientific and technological scholars but halted it amid industrial espionage controversies. Since 2012, it shifted focus to the Ten Thousand Talents Program, aiming to nurture 10,000 domestic talents, but it is clear that China is earnest about securing scientific and technological talent both domestically and internationally by promising exceptional treatment.

"There are quite a few acquaintances leaving for China after retirement. Despite criticism about industrial espionage and technology leakage, I understand their choice to go to China," lamented a senior scientist who recently took office as the head of a scientific organization after a lifelong career in research.

This reflects envy toward China, which accepts talent without age or nationality restrictions, promising a free research environment and sufficient support, and sorrow over Korea’s reality of losing talent nurtured within its own borders.

Our government enacted the "Special Act on Supporting Science and Engineering to Strengthen National Science and Technology Competitiveness" in March 2004 and has since implemented plans starting with the 1st Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Engineering Personnel (2006?2010), up to the upcoming 5th Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Technology Talent (2026?2030) scheduled for release this September. However, there are doubts about whether the support and talent development have met their goals.

GFRIs are the core think tanks of the Republic of Korea and the cradle of national science and technology development, but it is common for researchers to use their early careers at GFRIs as a stepping stone to better treatment and research environments in companies or universities at home and abroad.

Moreover, following a single presidential remark, the government’s science and technology research and development budget for 2024 was cut by 5 trillion won compared to the previous year, threatening jobs, which is far from an environment conducive to enthusiastic research.

Last November, a bill to amend the "Act on the Establishment, Operation, and Promotion of Government-Funded Research Institutes in the Field of Science and Technology," which includes extending the retirement age of GFRI researchers from the current 61 to 65, was proposed and is currently pending in the National Assembly. On the 4th of last month, the Ministry of Science and ICT issued and implemented a regulation allowing outstanding researchers aged 62 and above to extend their retirement age to 65 within 10% of the total staff.

We look forward to researchers who can devote themselves to research and development without worrying about retirement to produce significant achievements.