Research Ecosystem Devastated by Previous Administration's Budget Cuts
Stable Research Support for Young Researchers
Investment for Technology-Driven Growth
The National Policy Planning Committee, which is serving as President Lee Jaemyung's transition team, has expressed its intention to increase the budget for science and technology research and development (R&D). President Lee has pledged to expand the R&D budget in a stable manner, significantly increase support for young science and technology talent, and create future growth engines driven by technology. To allocate the R&D budget necessary to realize these pledges, the Policy Planning Committee held an emergency policy meeting on June 24 in the main conference room of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council.
At the meeting, Lee Choonseok, Chair of the Economic Division 2 of the Policy Planning Committee, stated, "It is necessary to restore the pride and morale of the science and technology community, which have been undermined by the previous administration's R&D budget cuts. The answer to achieving the goal of becoming one of the top three AI powers and driving growth lies in the R&D ecosystem, and this can only be accomplished through stable and predictable R&D investment."
The Science and Technology Advisory Council is scheduled to deliberate, adjust, and finalize the budget allocation for the 2026 national R&D projects on June 30. Chair Lee added, "We request that the new government's policy direction be reflected as much as possible before the resolution at the end of this month, and that national policy tasks continue to be faithfully incorporated during the subsequent budget allocation process."
The meeting was attended by members of the Policy Planning Committee's Economic Division 2, including Hwang Jeonga, as well as planning and expert committee members and officials from the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters of the Ministry of Science and ICT. Private sector experts in attendance included Lee Junho, professor at Seoul National University; Lee Sejun, professor at Korea Electric Power Corporation University; Oh Jaechul, CEO of ION Communications; Kim Bokchul, former president of the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST); and Yoon Seokjin, former president of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).
The participants agreed that it is necessary to point out the problems caused by the previous administration's R&D budget cuts and that, next year, a stable increase in R&D investment aligned with the new government's policy direction is needed to restore basic research and revive the weakened research ecosystem.
They added, "It is very urgent to improve the unstable research conditions faced by young researchers as a result of the previous administration's R&D budget cuts and to restore trust in the government's science and technology budget policies. To create a sustainable R&D ecosystem, a long-term and predictable R&D budget allocation system must be established."
They also suggested that it is necessary to eliminate silos between ministries to strengthen strategic investment, and to sufficiently extend the deliberation period to fully gather feedback from the science and technology field, thereby improving the overall system.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
