- Government Presents Comprehensive Strategies to Secure Science and Technology Talent and Innovate the R&D Ecosystem 

< Key Initiatives >

 Provide systematic support to cultivate outstanding science and technology talent who will lead Korea’s future, and transform the four major Institutes of Science and Technology—including the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)—into regional hubs driving Korea’s transition to artificial intelligence (AI)

 Significantly increase graduate scholarship coverage (from 1.3% in 2025 to 10% by 2030) to support stable growth

 Remove management-centered regulations to create a research environment rooted in autonomy, responsibility, and accountability

 Overhaul the evaluation system to encourage ambitious, high-risk research and promote the assetization of failure

 Establish a stable and predictable government R&D investment framework

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyunghoon) announced on November 7 that it has introduced a joint action plan with relevant ministries to help Korea make a significant leap toward becoming a global science and technology powerhouse. The plan was unveiled at the national policy briefing titled “Korea Dreaming Again of Becoming a Nation of Scientists and Engineers,” held at the National Science Museum in Daejeon.

The plan is grounded in the government’s recognition that, as global competition for technological leadership accelerates—particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence—major economies are rapidly scaling up their investments, while Korea confronts the mounting challenge of economic stagnation. Against this backdrop, the government views innovation-driven, technology-led growth as an urgent national priority.

A central objective of the plan is to create a virtuous cycle in which top talent gathers, generates innovative outcomes, and those achievements, in turn, attract even more talent. To this end, the plan outlines strategies not only to attract and support science and technology talent but also to fundamentally reform the R&D ecosystem. Through these efforts, relevant ministries aim to lay a strong foundation for Korea’s science and technology policies over the next five years, including the national agenda of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

Developed in line with the national governance principles of “listening and consensus-building,” the plan incorporates extensive policy input gathered through field consultations, the online proposal platform “Everyone’s R&D,” and joint public–private task forces. The main contents are as follows.

Against a backdrop of escalating global competition for technological leadership, securing core science and technology talent to drive innovation has become essential not only for national competitiveness but also for national survival. However, with the continued decline in the school-age population, Korea is projected to face a sharp drop in the number of STEM master’s and doctoral graduates starting in 2027, raising serious concerns about future talent shortages.

Recognizing this as a pivotal moment that requires nationwide mobilization to ensure that future generations can aspire to become scientists and engineers and lead innovation, the government has formulated this joint plan. The plan seeks to provide science and technology talent with a stable and compelling vision for the future and aims to advance the R&D ecosystem beyond mere restoration—toward one where ambitious, high-risk research and deep engagement drive growth.

The plan is organized around the following five key tasks.

First, the government will secure outstanding science and technology talent who will lead Korea’s future.

Mathematics and science education will be strengthened from the elementary and secondary levels upward. Funding for scholarships and research fellowships for excellent STEM students and early-career researchers will also be expanded, offering clearer pathways and vision for growth. Researchers with world-class achievements will be designated as “National Scientists*” and supported as national R&D leaders, helping establish a model of scientists who earn broad public respect.

*Approximately 20 top scientists and engineers will be selected annually (around 100 over five years).

To respond to the advent of the AI era, the government will broaden AI education for STEM students to cultivate “ambidextrous” talent capable of leveraging AI. It will also nurture new generations of AI-era researchers by integrating AI into scientific research.* Regional AI-specialized science gifted schools will be expanded, linkages with the institutes of science and technology will be deepened, and the institutes will evolve into regional AI innovation hubs that drive regional innovation.

*GPU and data resources, along with project-based training, will be offered through university science–AI research centers and the AI-X National Talent Development Program.

In key strategic technology fields that will underpin Korea’s future growth—such as AI, quantum technologies, and advanced life sciences—the government aims to attract 2,000 outstanding and early-career researchers from overseas by 2030, thereby strengthening the national innovation ecosystem. To improve retention rates among international students, the government will expand employment support and streamline visa processes.*

*Improvements include extending same-company internships from six to twelve months, lengthening the job-search period from two to three years, and broadening the fast-track permanent residency and naturalization pathway from the four major institutes of science and technology and UST to general universities.

Second, the government will build an attractive ecosystem that enables science and technology talent to grow in a stable and sustainable manner.

Economic support for STEM students will be significantly strengthened so they can fully focus on their studies and research. Graduate scholarship coverage will rise to 10 percent by 2030, and the number of universities offering stipends to support research and living expenses will increase to 55.*

*Graduate scholarship coverage: 1.3% in 2025 → 10% by 2030

Universities offering stipends: 35 in 2025 → 55 in 2026

Public-sector employment opportunities for young and early-career researchers will expand as universities create more faculty positions in advanced fields, reorganize research structures around dedicated researchers, and as government-funded research institutes broaden their recruitment. Comprehensive support for technology start-ups will also be reinforced to spur private-sector job creation and secure opportunities for young researchers to advance.

*(Universities) Expansion of faculty positions and dedicated researcher roles

(Government-funded institutes) expansion of early-career researcher recruitment (around 600 per year)

Basic research funding will be strengthened to provide more stable support for current researchers. Additional programs will help excellent researchers continue their work after retirement.* The government will also promote concurrent appointments across industry, academia, and research institutes, and will establish a new “Corporate Researcher Development Fund” to support the growth and welfare of corporate researchers.

*New post-retirement research support program (from 2026); new program for public research institutes to hire experienced corporate researchers (from 2026); extension of the retirement age and expanded post-retirement reappointment opportunities at government-funded research institutes.

Third, the government will remove unnecessary burdens so that researchers can devote themselves fully to their work.

Research fund management will shift from regulation-centered control to a system grounded in researchers’ autonomy and responsibility.* Ministries and specialized agencies will streamline administrative requirements by limiting mandatory forms to essential documents only, and any additional data requests will, in principle, be prohibited.

*Example: allow discretionary use of 10% of direct costs; manage indirect costs under a negative-list approach with minimal restrictions.

To maximize research efficiency, tasks related to research administration and equipment management—previously handled by individual researchers—will be reassigned to research institutions, supported through block funding and strengthened institutional research-support capacity. Government-funded research institutes will also begin moving away from the project-based system (PBS), with support provided to ensure they can concentrate on stable, mission-oriented research.

Fourth, the government will broaden the horizon of innovation by embracing bold challenges.

A dedicated track for mission-oriented, ambitious and high-risk research will be established by fundamentally overhauling the existing research management system.* This will allow flexible goal-setting to respond to intensifying technological competition, and top private-sector experts will be granted broad discretion, including responsibility for managing projects across their entire lifecycle. Matching requirements will also be eased** to encourage bold, private-sector-led R&D.

*Example: NEXT Projects for nurturing strategic technologies such as AI and quantum

**Designation as “national strategic technology research and development program” under the Special Act on the Fostering of National Strategic Technology, with applicable special measures

The evaluation system will undergo a comprehensive overhaul. Formalistic evaluations that incentivize safe, low-risk projects will be eliminated. Instead, project selection will focus on innovativeness, and meaningful failures will be properly recognized.* The government will also secure a pool of 6,000 outstanding evaluators, expand the real-name evaluation system, and adjust evaluation fees to more appropriate levels.

*(Current) Rigid, quantitative evaluation based on goal attainment

(Revised) qualitative evaluations centered on innovativeness, recognizing meaningful failure

Fifth, the government will lay the groundwork to ensure that R&D funds are used effectively.

To support predictable R&D investment, the government will work to raise annual R&D spending to roughly 5 percent of total government expenditure. AI and other advanced technologies will be incorporated into the R&D investment process to allocate budgets with greater strategic precision.

The government will also establish a system to ensure that the vast amount of research data generated each year by roughly 60,000–70,000 government R&D projects is shared and reused, allowing today’s research outputs to drive tomorrow’s innovation.

※Example: the accelerated development of COVID-19 vaccines enabled by shared research data

Finally, a regional autonomous R&D framework will be introduced to enable local governments to plan, implement, and take responsibility for research tailored to regional characteristics and strategies.* Regional flagship universities will be supported in building research capabilities on par with the Institutes of Science and Technology so they can play leading roles in region-driven innovation.

*Block-funding-type support and implementation structures for local-government-led R&D

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyunghoon stated, “The government aims to build an R&D ecosystem where outstanding talent comes together, pursues research freely, and delivers innovative outcomes.” He added, “We will ensure that the record-high R&D budget of KRW 35 trillion is used effectively, realize a Korea that dreams once again of becoming a nation of scientists and engineers, and establish Korea as a global science and technology powerhouse where scientists lead the future.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division (Phone: +82-44-202-4034, E-mail: msitmedia@korea.kr) of the Ministry of Science and ICT. 

Please refer to the attached PDF.