[New Year's Address] Minister Lee Jong-ho: "As a Ministry Designing the Future, We Will Lead Korea's Leap Forward"

2023 New Year's Address Presents Policy Tasks
"Realizing a Global Science and Technology Powerhouse and a Model Digital Nation"

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT is speaking at the Emergency Economic Ministers' Meeting held on the 18th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] On the 30th, Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT, stated in his New Year's address, "We will do our best to realize a global science and technology powerhouse and a model digital nation."

Minister Lee said, "Amid the economic and livelihood difficulties caused by the global complex crisis, it is time to deliver tangible results to the public by fully implementing the new government's science, technology, and digital policy directions established last year. Especially, in the face of a major technological transformation such as the technological hegemony competition among major countries and the Fourth Industrial Revolution as a digital revolution, expectations for the role of science, technology, and information and communications are very high."

He presented the 2023 policy tasks as ▲ securing ultra-gap strategic technologies and pioneering future industries based on new technologies ▲ normalizing K-Digital in daily life and global expansion ▲ nurturing and securing core talents to lead future growth.

Minister Lee stated, "We will expand strategic research and development (R&D) investments focused on selection and concentration, launch mission-oriented R&D projects through public-private collaboration, and concentrate all national capabilities on securing national strategic technologies. Along with the third launch of Nuriho and the development of next-generation launch vehicles, we will actively foster the space industry ecosystem and secure future growth new technologies early, such as quantum, bio, carbon neutrality, 6G, metaverse, and blockchain."

He continued, "We will promote digital innovation that the public can experience and utilize in daily life, such as solving livelihood and social issues through the national AI project, implementing a digital platform government, and establishing a smart National Assembly. We will also lead the digital new order declared by the President in the New York initiative, support the global expansion of excellent K-Digital, and realize a digital safe and inclusive society where all citizens can enjoy the benefits of digital technology stably."

Furthermore, he said, "We will nurture customized talents by technology, expand private-led talent development, establish new research for long-term support, build a digital talent talent ladder, and create a virtuous cycle system where excellent science, technology, and digital talents nurtured in local regions can find employment and grow in those regions."

Minister Lee emphasized, "In the era of technological transformation brought by the COVID-19 crisis, national competitiveness depends on which country develops science, technology, and digital swiftly and efficiently. As the ministry designing the future, the Ministry of Science and ICT will surely lead Korea's leap forward in 2023 through 'realizing a global science and technology powerhouse and a model digital nation.'"

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