Physicist at Budget Hearing: "Chose Risk to Warn of Laziness in R&D Budget"

First Science and Engineering Appointment in 11 Years... Concerns Raised Over R&D Budget Cuts: "Last-Minute Budget Revisions May Worsen Inefficiency"

At a National Assembly public hearing discussing the 2024 budget proposal, a science and engineering expert took the podium for the first time in about 11 years to criticize the government's cuts to research and development (R&D) funding.

The National Assembly Budget and Accounts Special Committee held a 'Public Hearing on the 2024 Budget Proposal and Fund Operation Plan' on the 1st, listening to expert opinions. Professors Ryu Deok-hyun from the Department of Economics at Chung-Ang University, Seok Byung-hoon from the Department of Economics at Ewha Womans University, Yang Jun-mo from the Department of Economics at Yonsei University, Jung Chang-soo, director of the Nara Salim Research Institute, and Cheon Seung-hyun from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Sejong University spoke in order, presenting their views on the government budget proposal.

Professor Cheon was the only science and engineering expert and physicist among the experts who testified that day. While economic and policy experts usually take the stage, he appeared to address the recent controversy over the 'R&D budget cuts.' The most recent science and engineering expert to testify at a National Assembly budget hearing before Professor Cheon was Shin Min-ho, senior researcher at the Korea Railroad Research Institute (civil engineering), who attended the 2013 budget hearing.

On the 1st, a public hearing on the 2024 budget proposal and fund operation plan was held at the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The National Assembly plans to review the budget proposal for about a month starting with the public hearing held that day. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Professor Cheon began by saying, "I thought I might be the first physicist to testify at a Budget and Accounts Committee public hearing. At the same time, I hope to be the last basic science researcher to testify here."

He refuted the government's claim that R&D funding has recently surged. Professor Cheon said, "Although the government R&D budget appears to have increased sharply recently, when measured as a proportion of total government expenditure, it has barely recovered to the level of 2014, ten years ago," adding, "It has only just approached the 5% target set by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's 74th national agenda item, thus normalizing the budget." He continued, "Having barely caught up, it is highly inappropriate to cut the budget again in 2024 citing inefficiencies caused by rapid increases."

Professor Cheon also emphasized that according to the national fiscal management plan, research capabilities are bound to fall behind. He stated, "The planned budget cuts over the next four years amount to 24 trillion won, equivalent to ten months of this year's government R&D budget," adding, "It's like being told to live for four years on roughly three years' worth of food. This is not a diet; it's simply telling us to fall behind by one year."

In particular, he pointed out that the elimination of new projects in the basic research program, such as the Life Basic Research and Balanced Academic Development Support, in this budget proposal "will completely kick away the ladder for future growth." Professor Cheon also noted that halting support for new projects could cause future researchers, including postdoctoral researchers and non-regular researchers, to leave research sites or trigger a sharp brain drain overseas.

Professor Cheon said, "If you truly want a sustainable R&D system, you must maintain a sustainable research ecosystem," adding, "We are on the borderline between complacency and precariousness. I would evaluate this budget proposal as choosing something very precarious to warn against slight complacency."

On the 1st, a public hearing on the 2024 budget proposal and fund operation plan was held at the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The National Assembly plans to review the budget proposal for about a month starting with the public hearing held that day. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The Democratic Party of Korea also took a critical stance on the government's R&D budget cuts. Representative Cho Seung-rae said during questioning, "As Professor Cheon mentioned, especially among our young researchers, there is a widespread sense of doubt about whether we should continue to maintain research sites in Korea," adding, "The government's 16.7% cut to the R&D budget is a very poor budget allocation that is undermining researchers' morale."

Yang Hyang-ja, a member of the Korean Hope Party and former Samsung Electronics employee, said, "Because the already insufficient R&D budget was hastily cut like a military operation, researchers suddenly became like a criminal group," adding, "The R&D budget cuts are continuing to worsen researchers' working conditions and treatment."

On the other hand, the People Power Party argued that the proportion of R&D budget should be viewed relative to discretionary spending, not total expenditure, as mentioned by Professor Cheon. Representative Jang Dong-hyuk of the People Power Party said, "Since total expenditure includes mandatory and discretionary spending, I don't think comparing total expenditure is appropriate," adding, "Looking at discretionary spending, from 2012 to 2021, the R&D budget averaged about 9.3% of discretionary spending without much change."

Representative Jang explained that combining this year's and next year's budgets would restore this average figure. He said, "It sharply increased to 9.5% in 2022 and 10.3% in 2023," adding, "So, when combined with next year's budget, the ratio of discretionary spending to R&D budget will converge back to an average of about 9.4%, close to the original 9.3%."

Representative Jang added, "While it would be good to increase any budget, budgets are rigid, so I believe we should use structural adjustments and reduce unnecessary spending to allocate funds to socially vulnerable groups or essential areas."

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