Ministry of Science and ICT, "No Reduction in Support for Student Researchers at the 4 Major Science and Technology Institutes"

Despite the government's reduction in research and development (R&D) budgets, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 12th that support for student researchers at the four major science and technology institutes?Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), and Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)?will not be reduced.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, regarding support for approximately 12,900 student researchers at the four major science and technology institutes, the institutes will prioritize using their own funds, such as technology fees, for personnel expenses, and will utilize the pooling system to maximize compensation for researcher personnel costs. The pooling system is a mechanism that manages personnel expenses for national R&D projects collectively by principal investigators, allowing student researchers to receive stable personnel payments even if they do not participate in a project. The four major science and technology institutes plan to hold meetings with representatives of student researchers to explain the related details.

On the 11th, Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT stated in his opening remarks at the National Assembly audit that it was true that research budgets were often used inefficiently, and said, "Through R&D structural reform, we will expand support for outstanding early-career researchers and promote substantial global R&D to enable world-class research," adding, "We will resolve personnel cost issues, such as those concerning student researchers, so that research and academic work are not hindered."

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