The real crisis of the South Korean economy could start with the shortage of engineering and science personnel. The number of students enrolled in engineering and science universities is expected to halve from 865,668 in 1999 to 427,457 by 2050. The decreasing number of engineering and science personnel, who are the future workers of the high-tech industry in a country heavily reliant on its human resources, is a serious issue. Experts say attracting overseas talent is one of the few immediate alternatives. ChosunBiz aims to introduce foreign researchers active in the country through its 'Our Laboratory Charles' series, exploring how they have established themselves in South Korea and what institutional improvements are needed to attract more foreign researchers.
The RIKEN Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan is a basic science research institution that has produced several Nobel laureates. Kim Yusu, the Director General of the Institute for Basic Science and a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, was the first Korean to hold a tenured researcher position at RIKEN. There are only a few tenured researchers at RIKEN.
The scientific community was taken aback when it was reported last year that Kim would leave RIKEN and return to South Korea. While many scholars leave Korea for overseas opportunities, there are not many cases of recognized Korean researchers returning to the country. The Director General established an IBS campus research team at GIST, and one by one, foreign researchers who had followed him at RIKEN also began to leave Tokyo for Gwangju.
In an interview on the 12th at GIST's laboratory in Gwangju, the Director General revealed, “I felt a 'critical moment of death' while creating a system in a new environment and adapting it to the research conditions in Korea.” He shook his head as if he didn’t want to think back to the moment right after he arrived in Korea, recalling it alongside the foreign researchers who were interviewed with him.
The recruitment of the Director General was regarded as significant by the South Korean government to the extent that Noh Do-young, the director of the IBS, personally got involved. He formed a multinational research team, resulting in the recruitment of multiple outstanding researchers from abroad by bringing in just one Director General. This led to discussions of it being a notable success story of the 'inbound' policy aimed at attracting excellent researchers from overseas.
It is clear that the government and the IBS paid special attention, but what were the issues? The Director General asked Rafael B. Jaculbia, a researcher from the Philippines, and Maria Herminia Balgos, a senior researcher, to provide answers. The couple has been researching methods to measure and control the interaction of quantum states alongside the Director General since their time in Japan.
The researchers mentioned that the issuance of the 'residence card' (foreign registration card) was problematic from the start. A residence card is necessary to open a bank account and activate a mobile phone. They noted that while they received a residence card immediately upon arriving in Japan, it took more than a month to receive one when entering Korea.
Senior researcher Balgos stated, “The process of obtaining a residence card to enter with a research visa (E-3) and work at the IBS research team took an exceptionally long time,” and added, “In Korea, without a bank account or mobile phone, even simple daily activities become challenging, and delays in issuing the residence card exacerbated the difficulties.” The Director General noted, “For foreign researchers, being able to obtain a residence card directly at the airport is a significant benefit.”
During the interview, the Director General pulled out a 'manual' created by Korean researchers themselves. It was a guide for foreign researchers coming to the research team on settling down in Korea. The manual included a wealth of information in English about transportation, housing, hospitals, visas, social welfare, and taxes in the Gwangju area, as well as detailed information about Korea’s climate, cuisine, and driving licenses.
Senior researcher Kawaguchi left Japan for Korea with a 7-month-old baby. The baby is required to receive various vaccinations, but initially, no information about this was provided when he arrived in Korea. This is why the Director General included vaccination information necessary for children in the manual.
The Director General pointed out, “No such manual was provided by the IBS or the Ministry of Science and ICT, so we had no choice but to create the manual at the research team level,” adding that “it seems that no one even thinks that such information is necessary.”
The Director General is passionate about supporting the settlement of foreign researchers because he has formed a multinational team. Currently, aside from the Director General, there are 8 researchers in the quantum change research team, 4 of whom are foreign. This year, 3 more foreign researchers are set to join, most of whom have worked with the Director General since their time at RIKEN.
The Director General cited innovation stemming from diversity as the reason for forming a multinational team. He explained, “Biodiversity is often said to be a crucial keyword for preserving human civilization, and the same goes for research,” stating that “especially in our research field of quantum studies, it is important to be connected in various directions rather than isolated, which is why we intentionally brought together multinational researchers.”
The Director General expressed frustration, noting that while it was not a significant issue for researchers of various nationalities studying in Japan, it was not easy from the very beginning in Korea. Foreign researchers mentioned that there are areas regarding Korea's unique research environment that need improvement.
Senior researcher Kawaguchi pointed out the problem of hasty announcements. He said, “In Japan, reports must be submitted with at least 2-3 weeks' notice, but in Korea, it is not uncommon to be informed about a report due the next day only the day before,” adding that “there is an atmosphere that does not give researchers a breather compared to Japan.”
Researcher Jaculbia conversely noted that administrative processing was excessively slow when purchasing research equipment. He stated, “It took a month to receive a lens needed for research,” whereas “in Japan, I would receive the same lens in just one day, and I do not understand why such long times and procedures are required.”
The Director General pointed out that South Korea generally lacks flexibility in researchers' autonomy and research budget management. He said, “In Korea, researchers must decide what research equipment to purchase during the budgeting stage, which often shocks those coming from overseas who are accustomed to having more freedom in planning.”
Despite complaints regarding settlement support and research administration, all the foreign researchers who participated in the interview expressed satisfaction with their lives in Korea. They noted that Gwangju offers a relaxed and nature-friendly environment, sufficient urban infrastructure, and that they do not feel a language barrier as they primarily spend time at the school. Consequently, their research results have also improved.
The IBS quantum change research team, led by the Director General, also announced in March the successful results of a study that observed and controlled electric particles moving in real-time, published in the journal Science. This was an international collaborative research project involving the Director General, RIKEN, the University of Tokyo, and Yokohama National University.
How can such achievements be continued? The Director General simply stated, “You should do well while you have the chance.” He emphasized, “It is important to make the lives of the foreign researchers currently in Korea comfortable and happy,” adding, “Those who come next will judge based on the experiences of those who are already here, so it is crucial that the current residents of Korea believe they are receiving adequate support from the government and institutions.”