Lee Woo-il, Vice Chairman, "Will Speak Frankly... President Yoon Should Attend More Often"

Vice Chairman of the Presidential National Science and Technology Advisory Council Holds First Meeting on the 21st
"Will Provide Agile Advice Through Communication with the Science and Technology Field"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Lee Woo-il, Vice Chairman of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council (NSTAC), expressed his determination to properly convey the voices of the science and technology community, including critical feedback, to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

Vice Chairman Lee held his first press briefing in about two months since his inauguration on the morning of the 21st at his office in the Kyobo Building, Gwanghwamun, Seoul, where he made these remarks. He positively evaluated President Yoon’s interest and enthusiasm for science and technology. He felt that President Yoon holds the conviction that only science and technology can guarantee national development and the freedom and democracy of the people. In particular, he did not hide his expectation that President Yoon would actively participate in the NSTAC going forward. Vice Chairman Lee said, "In the case of President Moon Jae-in, he attended only once at the beginning of his term. Due to the nature of our country’s administrative organization, the president’s attendance is necessary to give strength to the council," adding, "Last month, I asked President Yoon to attend more frequently, and I received a positive response." He added, "The quantitative evaluation of an NSTAC under any administration can be judged by how often the president attends."

Vice Chairman Lee continued, "This advisory council is composed of experienced leaders, and we will borrow their wisdom and listen to voices from the field through networks to play a role in guiding the government and the nation in a desirable direction." He expressed his ambition to perform agile and timely advisory roles through active communication with the science and technology field. He said, "Until now, advice was given after preparing and researching for 3 to 6 months, but since changes are very rapid, we need to discover various issues in a short period and provide advice," adding, "Listening extensively to the voices from the science and technology field and organizing and conveying them is an important task."

Regarding the issue of establishing a Chief of Science and Technology within the Presidential Office, which was discussed early in the Yoon administration, he expressed the view that it is necessary. Vice Chairman Lee said, "As the president of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies (KOFST), I have already conveyed such opinions once or twice, and I believe President Yoon fully understands," adding, "Regarding the current arrangement where the Chief of Economic Affairs serves as the secretary of the NSTAC, it is better if the economic chief has a high understanding of science and technology; otherwise, it is problematic. I think it is operating relatively well now, but ultimately, a Chief of Science and Technology or an equivalent position is needed."

He strongly criticized the recent plan by the Ministry of Economy and Finance to incorporate the budgets of the four major science and technology institutes into the Higher and Lifelong Education Special Account, which was later canceled. Vice Chairman Lee said, "Personally, it was a very dangerous idea," adding, "Unless education and administration are normal, incorporating KAIST into this system is tantamount to giving up on gifted education in science and technology. It might work well at first, but it is obvious that it will fail after a few years."

He also expressed his intention to actively advise the government on bridging the digital divide. Vice Chairman Lee said, "I also had difficulty ordering at kiosks in hamburger restaurants. Even if efficiency is sacrificed, some resources should be used to reduce the gap," adding, "In the future, instead of a Nonsan training camp style, it should be a Special Forces style where the scientific and technological knowledge level of all citizens rises to secure national competitiveness, and no human resource is wasted."

Regarding the participation in Neom City, which became an issue following the recent visit of Crown Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, he predicted that the science and technology community would have a role. Vice Chairman Lee explained, "During the first Middle East boom in the 1970s and 1980s, it was mainly labor assembling foreign goods, but the second Middle East boom will have much higher added value because we can bring what we made with our science and technology," adding, "Science and technology can sufficiently contribute to the revival of the Middle East boom."

On the claim from some in the science and technology community that the Aerospace Administration should be established as an independent agency encompassing various government ministries rather than as an external agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT, he said, "I completely agree."

Regarding the distrust and dissatisfaction expressed by frontline researchers at government-funded research institutes toward the Yoon administration’s emphasis on science and technology policies, he said, "Please give it more time. Administrative departments such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance are carrying out various things based on inertia from the past," adding, "It will take more time to change the tone, so we need to wait and see. Didn’t the Moon Jae-in administration abolish blind recruitment all at once?"

Vice Chairman Lee concluded by saying, "Personally, I am not attached to any position, so I will not hesitate to offer critical feedback to the government," and pledged, "That is also the role of the Vice Chairman of the NSTAC."

The NSTAC was newly established as a presidential advisory body along with the National Economic Advisory Council during the 1987 constitutional amendment. Since its launch in 1989, it has proposed mid- to long-term policy directions for science and technology in Korea and has carried out institutional improvements and policy development activities for over 30 years. Since 2018, it has also played a role in reviewing science and technology policies and budgets.

Vice Chairman Lee was born in Seoul in 1954. After graduating from Seoul National University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, he served as a professor at Seoul National University College of Engineering, president of the International Composite Materials Society, vice president of research at Seoul National University, dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University, and president of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. On September 1, he was appointed Vice Chairman of the newly formed NSTAC under the Yoon administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.