Korea to Become Associate Member of 'Horizon Europe'... "R&D Budget to Increase Next Year"

Late This Month, Minister of Science and ICT Reaches Agreement in Brussels

President Yoon Suk-yeol is applauding the participants after delivering an encouragement speech at the 'Dialogue with Future Scientists' held on the 16th at ICC Hotel in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Photo by Yonhap News

South Korea will become an associate member of the European Union's (EU) largest multilateral research and innovation funding program, 'Horizon Europe,' next year. If the accession to Horizon Europe is successful, Korean researchers are expected to receive European research funding, participate in global programs, and discover various international cooperation opportunities. The Presidential Office announced plans to increase the research and development (R&D) budget next year to alleviate concerns in the science and technology community and to advance the country as a leader in scientific and technological innovation.

On the 5th, a senior official from the Presidential Office told reporters, "Negotiations for South Korea's accession as an associate member to the research and innovation funding program 'Horizon Europe' have been underway, and an agreement is imminent." Horizon Europe is a multilateral research and innovation funding program initiated by the European Union in 1984, designed to carry out research and innovation projects at the EU level that individual member states find difficult to pursue alone.

The official stated, "Starting next year, South Korea will join Horizon Europe, pay contributions, and be able to directly secure EU research funds to participate in global research programs," adding, "At the end of this month, the Minister of Science and ICT will visit Brussels, Belgium, to announce the conclusion of the negotiations." It was explained that the contract for accession will be signed in October this year, and full activities as an associate member of Horizon Europe will commence next year.

Additionally, from next year, efforts to increase the R&D budget to ease concerns in the scientific community will be actively implemented. A Presidential Office official said, "The Office of the Chief of Science and Technology is currently establishing next year's investment direction in consultation with the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters and financial authorities, alongside mid- to long-term plans," adding, "Next week, the government's R&D investment direction will be submitted to the National Science and Technology Council, and following the President's report next week, detailed announcements will be made by relevant ministries depending on the approval of the agenda."

Regarding the specific scale of the budget increase, the Presidential Office official explained, "The stage of surveying R&D demands from each ministry remains, and the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters will aggregate the total amount and finalize it through consultation with financial authorities."

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