[Reporter’s Notebook] Expectations for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Leadership in R&D Budgeting

Paek Jonghun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, is responding to questions from ruling and opposition committee members during the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee’s audit held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News

Paek Jonghun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, bowed his head to the scientific community during the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee’s audit on the 13th. He acknowledged that the interim report by the task force investigating the reduction of research and development (R&D) funding, which stated that the budget cuts stemmed from an order by Choi Sangmok, then Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs, was accurate. Deputy Prime Minister Paek said, "I apologize to everyone who was affected by the R&D budget cuts."

The scientific community generally interprets Deputy Prime Minister Paek’s direct apology for the mistakes of the previous administration as highly significant. Since the Ministry of Science and ICT has been elevated to a deputy prime minister-level ministry for the first time in 17 years, there is an expectation that things will change, and a hope that the public will watch for these changes. An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT expressed optimism, saying, "With our promotion to a deputy prime minister-level ministry and our strengthened authority to deliberate and adjust the R&D budget, we will take the lead in driving change."

Increasing the R&D budget is certainly a welcome development. However, with greater authority comes greater responsibility. It cannot be ignored that, despite significant investment in the past, there have been no visible achievements such as a Nobel Prize. Japan, which is often used as a benchmark, produced two Nobel laureates in the field of science this year alone, reaffirming its status as a powerhouse for Nobel Prizes.

Korea has long emphasized that the government R&D success rate stands at about 98%. However, the academic consensus is that this is because only research projects with short-term results and low risk of failure are pursued. The government has not invested in new research because it did not align with policy directions, companies have avoided investment because the market is small, and researchers have been reluctant because of low chances of success. Unless these chronic problems are resolved, it will be difficult to expect significant results even if the budget increases.

During the audit, Deputy Prime Minister Paek stated, "We need to examine whether we have made proper and sustained investments in basic science, and whether the scale and duration of our investments have matched our interest in the Nobel Prize." He emphasized that, since Korea has developed its industries based on applied technologies, bold investment in basic science is now necessary. He added, "We need to establish a system that can challenge for the Nobel Prize with a new approach, and the government will focus on this issue." This can be seen as an approach that gets closer to the root of the problem.

Failure is daunting for everyone. If continued investment does not yield visible results, it can be criticized as a waste of budget. However, since science and technology is not a field where results can be achieved in a short time, the government must accept this and demonstrate a commitment to steady investment. The Deputy Prime Minister for Science and ICT now holds budgetary authority. It is now necessary to have the insight to assess the appropriateness of the R&D budget with a broader perspective in mind.