The government will expand investments in 12 major national strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced bio. Through a comprehensive research and development (R&D) strategy, from securing top talent to commercializing technology, the government aims to leap into a global leader in innovation technology.
On the 1st, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a national R&D budget strategy meeting and shared this investment direction with relevant ministries.
The Ministry of Science and ICT has coordinated key focus areas for efficiency in next year's budget with ministries carrying out national R&D projects each year and has been reviewing new projects. According to the Basic Science and Technology Act, the Ministry of Science and ICT will prepare a distribution adjustment plan by the end of June through deliberation and resolution by the National Science and Technology Advisory Council, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance will reflect this in the government budget.
In this meeting, the Ministry of Science and ICT proposed three investment measures to establish a leading R&D system in the field: inter-ministerial collaboration, expenditure efficiency reflecting evaluation results, and preparing a roadmap for performance creation.
In particular, it was selected as a key review task to expand investments in the 12 major national strategic technologies, including AI and advanced bio, and to examine ways to secure, train, and attract top talent, expand innovative and challenge-oriented R&D, and promote structural reform of R&D for commercialization.
Ryu Kwang-jun, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters, noted, “To leap into a superpower in innovative technology fields like AI, where even followers cannot catch up, we have no choice but to take an unprecedented path.” He added, “We will ensure that the path we have pioneered leads to innovative results that the public can feel.”