[Column] The Fall of the Perennial Top Student, the Ministry of Science and ICT

The faces of the Ministry of Science and ICT employees, who received a 'B' grade in the 2023 government performance evaluation announced by the Office for Government Policy Coordination on the 6th, were somber. It is unfamiliar as it is the first time since the evaluation began. The Ministry of Science and ICT has been the key player in elevating South Korea's position in the fields of science, technology, and information and communications to a global level. It has consistently received an 'A' grade in performance evaluations. Could this recent evaluation be a warning signal for South Korea's future?

While the Ministry of Science and ICT receiving a 'B' grade is certainly a factor that could cause concern for national development, the evaluation results suggest that it may not be as serious an issue as feared. Even in the 2022 government performance evaluation, conducted for the first time since the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the ministry received an 'A' grade, thanks to the success of the Korean launch vehicle Nuri and the lunar probe Danuri. Last year as well, the Ministry received 'A' grades in major policies with high scoring. However, it received a 'B' grade in regulatory innovation and policy communication. Ultimately, the overall evaluation was a B.

The turning point from being a top performer to an average student was the reduction in the national research and development (R&D) budget. In August last year, the Ministry announced an R&D budget proposal of 21.5 trillion won, a 13.9% decrease compared to the previous year, which caused a stir.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated its intention to streamline the rapidly increased budget, but the sudden announcement was met with cold reactions from the research community as well as public opinion. Criticism also continued in political circles. A Ministry official said, "Last year, there were issues with the R&D budget, so the drop in performance evaluation seemed inevitable," expressing regret while noting it was anticipated.

If the Ministry's employees had not performed their duties properly, that would be a problem. If the R&D budget streamlining had been carried out promptly and communicated effectively, a smooth transition could have been achieved. The issue escalated due to being rushed. It is worth reflecting on the fact that President Yoon Seok-yeol's R&D efficiency policy was not properly conveyed to the Ministry of Science and ICT. Cho Sung-kyung, the first vice minister of the Ministry who relocated from Yongsan, cannot escape responsibility either.

The Ministry of Science and ICT faces an important task this year: the establishment of the Space and Aviation Administration. The launch of the 4th generation mobile communication, which no previous government has accomplished, has also begun. This still means that the Ministry has sufficient conditions to receive the love and attention of the public. If there are problems, it must look back on itself.

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