The Choongang Institute announced on the 8th that it has published a report titled 'In the Era of Technological Hegemony, An Unshakeable National Strategy for Science and Technology' that encompasses Korea's sustainable science and technology national strategy.
The Choongang Institute was founded by the SK Group to inherit the human resource management philosophy of the late Chairman Choi Jong-hyun. Chey Tae-won is the chairman of SK Group.
This report is a policy suggestion document on science and technology written by the Science and Technology Innovation Committee of the Choongang Institute, based on discussions from the science and technology policy forum held at the Choongang Institute in April.
The authors include Professor Yeom Han-woong from the Pohang University of Science and Technology POSTECH, former vice chairman of the National Bioethics Committee Lee Sang-yeob, a distinguished professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Lee Jeong-dong, a professor at the Seoul National University Graduate School of Engineering and former special advisor on economic science to the president, Kwon Oh-nam, chairman of the Korea Women Scientists and Engineers Association, Jeong Jin-ho, president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and Hyun Tae-hwan, chair professor at Seoul National University’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
The report proposed a transformation of Korean science and technology policy centered on three pillars: a sustainable national R&D strategy, addressing the talent gap and research ecosystem, and innovation in technology sovereignty and policy governance.
Professor Yeom Han-woong noted, "It is necessary to recognize that the excessive focus and concentration on R&D budgets in designated national strategic technology areas is obstructing innovation towards becoming a 'First Mover.'"
This implies that the existing Korean strategy, which remains a 'Fast Follower' chasing technologies established in advanced countries, requires an approach to strengthen long-term innovation capabilities.
In the same vein, Professor Lee Jeong-dong emphasized, "When China enters any industry, it develops at an overwhelming pace and scale. It is difficult for Korea to survive by just chasing others, and if we fail to present original core technologies, we can be replaced at any time in the global value chain."
He pointed out that each time a new administration takes office, large national research projects initiated by the previous government are reduced or abolished, and new projects are prioritized under the slogans of the new government. Many researchers modify their research topics to align with government policies and rewrite proposals. He also expressed concern that the government's emphasis on short-term results conflicts with the essential and long-term nature of science and technology.
To overcome this, he suggested establishing a science and technology strategy that transcends administrations, balancing long-term plans with short-term strategies, and creating an independent research ecosystem that encourages creative attempts by the private sector and academia.
Professor Lee Sang-yeob explained, "Expanding areas that cannot be replaced without our technology is the core of the technology sovereignty strategy. Securing irreplaceable capabilities such as memory semiconductors is essential."
Kim Yu-seok, president of the Choongang Institute, stated, "In a situation where government affairs begin without the formation of a presidential transition committee, it may be difficult for long-term tasks such as science and technology to secure sufficient public discourse and consensus. We published a science and technology policy report with scholars representing the science and technology community from an independent perspective transcending political factions."