Sangwook Park, Senior Secretary for Science and Technology, "President Yoon to be supported to be recognized as a Science President"

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On the day the designation of public institutions for science and technology research institutes was lifted, Park Sang-wook, Senior Secretary for Science and Technology at the Presidential Office, visited research sites to communicate and emphasized that he would serve as a bridge between the government and the science and technology community to ensure that President Yoon Seok-yeol is recognized as a successful science president.

Park Sang-wook, Senior Secretary for Science and Technology at the Presidential Office, is speaking at a meeting held on the 31st of last month at the Daejeon Chemical Research Institute. Photo by Ministry of Science and ICT

Senior Secretary Park attended the first Science and Technology Advisory Meeting of the year held at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology in Daejeon on the afternoon of the 31st of last month. This was his first on-site visit. The event took place on the same day the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced the lifting of the public institution designation for science and technology research institutes.

As a result of this decision, the National Science and Technology Research Council (NST), established under the "Act on the Establishment, Operation, and Promotion of Government-Funded Research Institutes in the Field of Science and Technology," along with its 21 affiliated research institutes (26 in total including 4 attached research institutes), were removed from the category of public institutions.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Senior Secretary Park said, "It is meaningful to meet on such a good day when the long-standing wish of the science and technology community to lift the public institution designation for research institutes has been realized," and introduced that "the lifting of the public institution designation was immediately accepted by the President following the proposal made at last year's in-person National Science and Technology Advisory Meeting."

Senior Secretary Park further stated that he would communicate broadly with the heads of research institutes, management, labor unions, and students, expressing his commitment as the first science and technology senior secretary of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration by saying, "I will do my best to ensure that President Yoon becomes a successful science president."

Participants at the meeting also welcomed the lifting of the public institution designation for science and technology research institutes and discussed future challenges. Lee Woo-il, Vice Chairman of the Science and Technology Advisory Committee, said that this would provide a foundation for research institutes to conduct research freely, adding, "Science and technology must support overcoming various issues such as low growth and the demographic cliff. Since President Yoon has a strong interest in science and technology, we need to pool our wisdom and prepare together."

Kim Bok-cheol, Chairman of the Science and Technology Research Council, said, "There are still many hurdles ahead. Since there were opinions that accountability as public institutions must be maintained, we will make good use of government-funded research institutes, which are key assets in science and technology, to help the science and technology community solve the problems they face."

The Ministry of Science and ICT explained that the lifting of the public institution designation for science and technology research institutes is a measure to resolve long-standing demands from the field, secure operational autonomy, and enhance research excellence to maximize outcomes. The ministry plans to prepare follow-up measures to promote collaboration among research institutes and facilitate the movement of knowledge and convergence research. On the 14th of next month, an innovation plan presentation attended by Minister Lee Jong-ho and heads of science and technology research institutes will disclose the operational direction and institutional improvements following the lifting of the public institution designation.

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