[Insight & Opinion] Let's Address the Shortage of Science and Technology Talent with Foreign Talent!

The effects of low birth rates and population aging are appearing throughout our society. The retirement rush of the 'baby boom' generation, which can be considered the central 'age cohort' of Korean society, is now in full swing. The field of science and technology is no exception. Researchers, professors, and engineers who have led the development of science, technology, and industry in Korea are increasingly leaving not only national research institutes and universities but also companies. The problem is that there is a severe shortage of young talent to fill their vacancies.

Currently, fourth-year university students were born in 2002. The year 2002 was the first time the number of births in Korea fell into the 400,000 range. This is about half the number of births during the baby boom generation. In addition to the shrinking talent pool, the trend of science prodigies gravitating toward medical schools is intensifying. As is well known, the number of births in 2022 dropped again to 249,000, halving once more. If this trend continues, it will inevitably lead not only to a decline in scientific and technological capabilities but also to a decrease in industrial competitiveness and overall national competitiveness. There are even concerned voices suggesting that Korea might regress to an agricultural country.

It is an undeniable fact that science and technology have played a crucial role in Korea's growth and development so far. The future will be even more so, and the most important factor in the advancement of science and technology is talent. Therefore, more proactive efforts and alternatives are needed to address the deepening shortage of scientific and technological personnel and talent. Utilizing retired science and technology personnel can be one alternative. However, relying solely on domestic talent has limitations in maintaining national scientific and technological competitiveness or promoting innovation.

Another alternative to solve the shortage of scientific and technological talent is to attract outstanding foreign talent. Currently, the world is engaged in a war to attract talent. The United States, Europe, Japan, Singapore, and others are all fighting desperately to acquire excellent talent. While attracting highly skilled experts and business leaders is also a target, acquiring outstanding scientific and technological talent is the top priority. This is likely related to the intensifying competition for technological supremacy.

Then, is Korea truly an attractive place for foreign scientific and technological talent? Can foreign talents have their expertise recognized, demonstrate their abilities, and receive appropriate treatment? Setting aside their treatment, it is true that residential environments such as housing and children's education are lacking compared to major countries. Above all, being a non-English-speaking country acts as a significant handicap in attracting foreign talent. In other words, there are structural limitations in acquiring talent compared to competing countries.

Therefore, the most realistic and efficient alternative is to attract outstanding foreign students to Korea and utilize them as our talent. First, we must retain excellent scientific and technological talents currently studying domestically. At KAIST, a system is in place where foreign students who obtain master's or doctoral degrees can receive 'residence status' through the president's recommendation. Later, based on research achievements, they can be granted Korean nationality. This is the so-called 'fast-track permanent residency and naturalization system for outstanding scientific and technological talent.' In addition, science high schools and university undergraduate programs should actively participate in attracting outstanding foreign talent. The younger they are, the easier it will be for them to adapt and assimilate into Korean society. The goal is to nurture them as scientific and technological talents needed by Korea.

Seoyongseok, Professor, Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST

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