MSIT announced the R&D Innovation Plan
of the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration and Global R&D Strategy
[Agenda 1] R&D
Innovation Plan of the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration
With investment
in innovative and challenging R&D for global excellence, the Republic of Korea
aims to take a grand leap into becoming a world-leading science and technology
hub through: (1) Institutional innovation, tailored to drive challenge and
innovation from the perspective of researchers, and (2) Investment innovation, with
a strong emphasis on basic, original, and next-generation technologies.
Key tasks
Proactive
exemption from preliminary feasibility studies, and elimination of
success/failure assessment framework for innovative and challenging research
Procurement
period for research facilities and equipment shortened, approximately from 120
days to 50 days
Selection
of outstanding research projects at any time during the year (Consideration for
gradual elimination of the required synchronization between the period of
research fund usage and the fiscal year)
Abolishment
of the “evasion of institutional redundancy rule” to enable evaluation of the
best by the best
Operation
of “Global Top Strategic Research Teams” within government-funded research
institutes, removing silos among institutions
[Agenda 2] World-leading Global
R&D Strategy
3 policy
directions are proposed in order to foster the scientific and technological
breakthrough for Korea to lead the global future, which are: (1) Innovation in the
global R&D system in pursuit of global excellence, (2) Strengthening international
cooperation capabilities of Korean researchers, and (3) Creating a research
ecosystem in line with global standards.
Key tasks
Expansion
of investments in international R&D by more than KRW 5.4 trillion over the
next 3 years (Increased from 1.6% to 6-7% of the total government R&D
spending)
Formulation
of strategic maps in the fields of National Strategic Technologies and Carbon
Neutrality Industry Technologies, as well as exploration and implementation of “Global
R&D Flagship Projects” in key areas
New
global R&D collaboration project with the United States and Japan
Operation
of regional “Global R&D Strategic Hubs” to lead on-site global R&D
cooperation projects
Improvement
of the global R&D institutional framework, including matters related to
participation of international researchers and protection of intellectual
property rights
The Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister
Lee Jong Ho, hereinafter referred to as “MSIT”) announced the “R&D
Innovation Plan of the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration” (hereinafter referred to
as the “R&D Innovation Plan”) and the “World-Leading Global R&D Strategy”
(hereinafter referred to as the “Global R&D Strategy”), which were
deliberated and confirmed at the 3rd General Meeting of the
Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology (PACST) on November
27th, 2023.
The Korean government’s research and
development (R&D) investments started at 2 billion won in 1964, and has
increased to the level of the 5th largest in the world by 2023.
However, the qualitative level of government R&D has remained stagnant for
the last 10 years.* MSIT views that it is because government R&D has not
sufficiently focused on its inherent role of ‘basic and original research and
next-generation technology development,’ and that there also has been a lack of
innovation in the R&D system for challenging the best. The Ministry has
stated that the announced R&D Innovation Plan and Global R&D Strategy
incorporated innovation in 3 aspects - institutions, investments, and
international cooperation - in order to move beyond the existing limitations
and foster innovative R&D that aims for global excellence, taking a leap
into the first-mover position.
*
Top 1% cited papers (15th in the world, 2012 → 14th,
2021), technological capacity of Korea compared to that of the US (77.8%, 2012
→ 80.1%, 2020)
R&D Innovation Plan
The R&D Innovation Plan places its
focus on 2 major objectives: “Institutional innovation” and “Investment
innovation.” Institutional innovation represents a shift away from
management-centric system and regulations that do not align with the
characteristics of R&D, and intends to create an environment where
challenging and innovative research are favored. Investment innovation concerns
the transition from short-term investments centered around immediate issues to
investments that better address the fundamental role of government R&D,
which regards basic, original research, and next-generation technology
development. Importantly, the most pressing and urgent requests for improvement
raised by the research community were prioritized in the plan development
process. The summary of the R&D Innovation Plan is as follows:
1. Introducing a bold
system to encourage challenges for innovative R&D
(1)
The success-or-failure distinction in the assessment process will be eliminated
for challenging research. This will allow for an acceptance of failure in
ambitious research endeavors, and ensure that researchers do not face
disadvantages in follow-up project acquisitions. Neither does the R&D
Innovation Plan turn to qualitative assessment methods, such as consulting and
peer reviews, but is designed to establish a foundation where experience and
knowledge obtained during the research process are accumulated and shared.
(2)
A comprehensive selection process for identifying researchers with high
potential and excellence will be introduced, considering factors such as
academic background, research contributions, and prospective growth. The
R&D Innovation Plan advocates evidence-driven approach to talent
development policies, which will be implemented through the establishment of an
integrated system between researchers and projects database and employment
insurances database (deidentified with anonymization), and a “Global Map of
Talent.”
(3)
The time spent on installment contracts of state-of-the-art and
high-performance research facilities and equipment demanded by challenging
R&D will be substantially reduced, from the existing 120 days to 50 days.
To expedite the procurement process, amendments are planned to be made on the
“Enforcement Decree of the Act on Contracts to Which the State is a Party” to
include research facility and equipment purchases as subjects for negotiated
contracts.
(4)
Regulations on the use of royalties will also be amended to enable higher
reward for researchers with outstanding achievements. In detail, the share of
researchers in compensational royalties as defined by the “Enforcement Decree
of the National Research and Development Innovation Act” will be increased from
the current 50% to over 60%. Additionally, there are plans to support
commercialization R&D for researchers holding outstanding intellectual
property (IP) to foster “star scientists with IP assets.”
2. Streamlining
regulations that hinder R&D
(1)
For challenging and innovative R&D projects of national urgency, the
fast-track procedure of or an exemption from preliminary feasibility study will
be proactively approved. In case of projects recognized with high levels of
challenge and innovation, instead of the conventional evaluation process that
results in either selection or rejection, applicants will be directed to measures
such as expert reviews and alternatives search to enhance the quality of
project proposal.
(2)
There will be a gradual elimination of the mandatory synchronization between
the research fund usage period and ‘the fiscal year,’ so that outstanding
research projects can be initiated at any time throughout the year, and
inconveniences such as delays in research fund execution could be properly
mitigated. Starting with the experimental application to global joint research
and basic research projects next year, the phased elimination of this
requirement will be considered for other projects as well.
Figure 1: Revision of the budget
allocation procedure to enable initiation of projects regardless of the fiscal
year consideration
(3) Proofs of
research fund usage will be digitalized through a presidential decree,
achieving paperless research administration. Once registered in the system,
there will be no need for separate paper documentation, and the registered
materials will automatically be utilized in the accounting and auditing
processes.
(4) The “evasion
of institutional redundancy rule” will be abolished, which has restricted
participation of researchers affiliated to the same institution as the project
applicant in the evaluation process, to allow for the evaluation of the best by
the best. Instead, member composition of the evaluation committee and their
evaluation results will be disclosed to the applicant in order to secure
transparency. In addition, a code of conduct prohibiting any activities by a
member of the evaluation committee that might incur conflicts of interest will
be applied, ensuring a balance between expertise and fairness.
Meanwhile, the R&D Innovation Plan introduces an
evaluate-the-evaluator system to identify outstanding evaluation committee
members, and a system where a planning committee member is involved from the
selection to final assessment processes, all of which aims to strengthen the
expertise of the evaluation process.
3. Expanding large-scale R&D investments in
next-generation technologies
(1) Achieving
meaningful outcomes with optimum level of research funds (at least KRW 100 million
or more per project) will be encouraged. However, for areas where small-scale
research (KRW 100 million or less) is deemed sufficient, such as students and
postdoctoral training, pure theoretical research, and conceptual research, will
maintain its original size.
Figure 2: Focus shift from small-scale to large-scale projects
(2) To grasp
leadership amidst the global competition for technological dominance, sustained
investments will be secured for “National Strategic Technology R&D
Programs” at a level of 5 trillion won annually. Furthermore, the R&D Innovation
Plan includes the full-fledged commencement of “High-risk, High-return
R&D”* following the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)
model, acknowledging the high possibility of failure as well as the potential
for significant impact if successful.
* Korean ARPA-H
(Ministry of Health and Welfare), “Pushing the Boundaries Project” (Ministry of
Science and ICT)
4. Nurturing research institutes and universities as
global hubs for basic and original research
(1) Stable support
will be given to government-funded research institutes, endorsing them to move
away from exhausting competition for project acquisition that has been
prevalent in the past. On the contrary, research institutes will be transformed
around the “National Technology Center (NTC)” structure to immerse themselves
in large-scale original technology development that may not be feasible for
universities or private businesses. As the forefront base for national
missions, particularly those of National Strategic Technologies, core workforce
and facilities will be concentrated to NTCs to consolidate their capabilities.
On the other hand, for core research personnel, including
researchers and NTC participants, reasonable improvements will be made to the
existing Project-Based System (PBS), ensuring 100% coverage of personnel
expenses. The is expected that researchers will be able to fully concentrate on
research activities without the burden of contracting responsibilities.
Figure 3: Comparison of before/after the adoption of NTC structure
(example)
(2) Essential
research equipment and necessary operational workforce will be supported to
foster leading universities for international cooperation. By expanding support
for infrastructure construction, such as research centers under universities,
the R&D Innovation Plan aims to concentrate R&D resources (personnel,
information, and knowledge) into universities and further consolidate their
research capabilities.
(3) Laboratory establishment
cost (up to 500 million won) will be covered and the scale of research funds
will be exceptionally boosted for promising young scientists, to accelerate
their growth into independent researchers at the global level, while overseas
training opportunities for postdoctoral researchers will also be expanded.
World-leading Global R&D Strategy
The Global R&D Strategy is aimed at enhancing the
strategic significance of global R&D to aspire the best in the world, in
response to the global competition for technological dominance. It focuses on
creating a research ecosystem in line with global standards, where outstanding Korean
researchers can actively partake in international research efforts. The summary
of the Global R&D Strategy is as follows.
1. Innovating the global R&D system to strive for
global excellence
(1) Moving forward
from the past framework of small-scale and one-off international cooperation,
the global R&D system will be reformed to embrace national-level strategic
objectives through “Two-track (Excellence and Openness) + α (Overseas
expansion)” framework.
Accordingly, the government plans to expand the scale of
global R&D investments from the previous level of 1.6% of the total
government R&D investments to 6-7% of those. The resulting quantity of
global R&D investments will be increased to more than a total of KRW 5.4
trillion + α for the next 3 years and beyond.
Figure 4: Direction of the global R&D system restructuring
(2) Given the
nature of global R&D, which requires responsive budget management with regard
to the circumstances of partnering countries, the budget system for global
R&D will accordingly be improved.
To accommodate differences in budget systems among
countries, the carry-over of project execution into the next fiscal year will
be permitted for more flexible budget execution, suitable to joint research
endeavors. Furthermore, the scope of program-type initiatives will be expanded,
removing restrictions on project duration and size, in order to allow for
prompt initiation of global R&D projects.
Finally, the Global R&D Strategy involves the
establishment of a new global R&D collaboration project, with the purpose
of operating global R&D initiatives among Korea, the US, and Japan in an
agile manner. In the long run, the government will expand these efforts into
collaborations with wider range of partners, including nations in ASEAN, the
Middle East, and other regions.
(3) From strategy
planning to project implementation, global R&D system will be advanced for
more systematic execution.
First, the government plans to establish the “Global
R&D Strategic Map,” which contains analyzing data and deriving information
on comparative technological advantages of each nation, internationally distinguished
research units, and more. The Map will focus on strategically significant
technologies for Korea, including the 12 National Strategic Technologies and 17
Carbon Neutrality Industry Technologies mitigating the global climate crisis,
and will be utilized as a guidepost for coordinating global R&D efforts.
Second, the government will develop “Global R&D
Flagship Projects” in key areas, and support their timely advancement through
swift execution of preliminary feasibility studies and prioritized allocation
of government R&D budgets.
* Candidate projects
will be identified in 11 areas through a survey of demands, and will be deliberated
and confirmed by PACST.
Figure 5: Examples of the Global R&D Flagship Projects
Third, to ensure smooth planning and execution of global
R&D projects in diverse technological fields, the regional “Global R&D
Strategic Hubs” will be operated on site as forefront bases of global R&D.
Through the Hubs, local experts in the field of science and technology will be
directly involved in coordinating global R&D, while comprehensive
assistance will be provided throughout all stages of joint research, including
partnerships with outstanding international institutions.
Fourth, to consolidate the global R&D capabilities dispersed
across different ministries, the “Special Committee on Global R&D*” will be
established under PACST.
* Composition: A total of 25 committee
members including MSIT Vice Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation,
officials from relevant ministries, and experts from the industry, academia,
and research institutes / Responsibilities:
(1) Deliberation and response to issues regarding global R&D policy, (2)
Evaluation and selection of Flagship Projects, and (3) Selection of Strategic
Hubs, etc.
2. Providing more opportunities for Korean researchers to
enhance their capabilities for international collaborative research
(1) The “Global
Map of Experts on National Strategic Technologies” will be formulated,
containing information about leading scientists with international authority.
This Map will provide guidance with association to the government's human
resource exchange programs, which will in turn expand opportunities for
domestic researchers to collaborate with outstanding researchers from abroad.
(2) Several
programs* will be organized for early-career researchers to help them sharpen
their research capabilities and grow into independent researchers. For
instance, “Korean Marie Curie Program**” which provides global human resource
exchange opportunities, and “Top-tier Collaboration Platform,” which supports
joint research endeavors and human resource exchange between world-class
research units are in preparation, accumulating the experience gained from
exchanges for researchers both domestically and internationally.
* A total of 7
overseas training programs, including human resource exchange for masters' and
doctoral level students
** European Union
Marie Curie Program: The EU has allocated 6.6 billion Euros for the period from
2021 to 2027, with the aim of supporting early- and mid-career researchers
within Europe to conduct research activities in and out of the European region
throughout different stages of career.
(3) Support will
be strengthened for attracting highly skilled Korean researchers based in
overseas countries to collaborate with researchers based in Korea.
Additionally, programs will be implemented to facilitate joint research
projects between overseas Korean researchers and early-career researchers.
(4) The Global
R&D Strategy promotes extensive support for global collaboration efforts
made in basic individual research* conducted within universities and government-funded
research institutes. At the same time, basic group research conducted by basic
research laboratories (BRL) and science and engineering research centers (SERC)
will also be supported to strive for the excellence at the global level.
* The range of
global joint research activities inside basic research: Global networking,
establishment and operation of joint research centers (JRC), human resource
exchanges, collective management of special or high-price facilities and
equipment
3. Creating a global R&D ecosystem in line with
global standards
(1) From now on,
the government will incorporate considerations for strategic priorities with
respect to each nation and leverage science and technology cooperation networks
in order to strengthen the linkage with global R&D.
* ROK-US Next
Generation Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) Dialogue: Includes in-depth
discussions on joint projects, infrastructural investments and utilization,
exchange of human resource, etc.
(2) Institutional
and security frameworks for R&D in line with global standards will be
established. First, relevant regulations will be revised to allow international
research units to participate in domestic R&D projects as organizers or
partner institutes, while easing the limitations* on researcher participation in
global R&D.
* Number of global
research projects available at once per researcher: (As a joint researcher) 5 →
6 projects (As a project manager) 3 → 4 projects
Second, detailed guidelines for global R&D will be
developed, regarding matters related to, for example, conditions for joint
ownership of IPs and agreement and contract processes. Third, research security
support system conducive to global joint research will be newly established,
streamlining the system to protect Korean researchers partaking in global
R&D projects.
Minister Lee Jong Ho stated that, “Creating the best
environment for talented researchers to challenge themselves with innovative
R&D, become leaders in science and technology and spearhead the future of
Korea, is the greatest responsibility as the Minister of Science and ICT.” He
added that the proposals included in the R&D Innovation Plan and the Global
R&D Strategy will serve as the first step for Korea to take a great leap
into becoming a world-leading science and technology hub.
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.