[Hot Figure at the Audit] No Jongmyeon Unveils the Truth Behind R&D Budget Cuts

Former Senior Presidential Secretary Choi’s Role Confirmed by Ministry Documents
"Need to Identify Who Was Above the Senior Official"

At the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee audit, Assemblyman No Jongmyeon of the Democratic Party of Korea played a major role in revealing part of the truth behind last year’s drastic cuts to the research and development (R&D) budget.

During the audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT on October 13, Assemblyman No focused both his main and two supplementary questions on the background of the R&D budget cuts. He explained that the ministry’s budget was initially slashed by a significant amount-down to around 10 trillion won-before being partially restored. The Ministry of Science and ICT had originally prepared a budget of 25.4 trillion won, which was reduced to 10 trillion won and then partially restored to 21.9 trillion won. According to Assemblyman No, Choi Sangmok, former Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs, was involved in the budget cut process. At the time, the R&D budget reduction sparked controversy during the National Assembly’s budget review, with concerns raised about the disruption of scientific research continuity, the risk of losing and failing to nurture future talent, and the potential collapse of the basic science ecosystem.

No Jongmyeon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is conducting an unlimited debate (filibuster) on the submission of the "Broadcasting Three Acts (Amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Agency Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act)" at the National Assembly plenary session on August 5, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

According to internal documents from the Ministry of Science and ICT, which were released through audit materials and video footage, it was confirmed that “on July 5, 2023, after the Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs reported to V (referring to former President Yoon), he requested a review to set the core areas-such as world-class research support, nurturing young researchers, and fostering future technologies-at 10 trillion won (July 6, Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs).” This indicates that the R&D budget was set at 10 trillion won under the direction of the former Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs.

Regarding this, Baek Kyunghoon, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, confirmed during the audit that “it was the Presidential Office that led the incremental restoration after lowering the budget to 10 trillion won.” Since last month, the ministry has been operating a task force to investigate the process of the R&D budget cuts at that time.

A representative from Assemblyman No’s office stated, “We plan to call former Senior Presidential Secretary Choi and other related officials as witnesses during the comprehensive audit of the ministry to uncover the truth about the R&D budget cuts,” adding, “There are limits to the ministry’s own investigation, so it is necessary to clarify who above the former Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs was involved.”