Han, Joining Horizon Europe... Strengthening Global R&D Expansion Policy

A strong supporter has emerged for our government's strategy to expand global research and development (R&D). The government plans to further accelerate the expansion of global R&D, taking advantage of joining Europe's research innovation program.

European Commission Executive Vice-President for Research and Innovation Iliana Ivanova and Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT are taking a commemorative photo on the 25th after the conclusion of South Korea's Horizon Europe accession negotiations. Photo by Ministry of Science and ICT.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that negotiations for South Korea's associate membership in Horizon Europe have been finalized. Horizon Europe is the EU's largest and the world's biggest multilateral research innovation program, providing 99.5 billion euros (approximately 138 trillion won) in funding over seven years starting from 2021. Since 1984, Europe has been promoting research innovation projects at the EU level that individual member countries find difficult to pursue alone. South Korea becomes the first Asian country and the third non-EU country to join.

If the subsequent procedures proceed smoothly, from next year the Korean government will pay financial contributions, and Korean researchers selected for joint research projects under Horizon Europe will be eligible for research funding benefits from the EU until 2027.

Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho, who directly concluded the negotiations in Brussels, Belgium, emphasized the significance of the finalized associate membership in Horizon Europe by stating it "shows the changed status of the Korean research community." He further stressed plans to expand the global R&D budget as the number of countries expressing interest in joint research with the Korean science and technology sector is rapidly increasing.

Minister Lee said, "It is true that Korea has lacked an institutional foundation for international joint research until now," adding, "Currently, not only the EU but also countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, which are not EU members, have shown interest in joint research with Korea. Collaborative research can maximize research synergy between partner countries."

In the current era of global technological hegemony, where economic and security alliances between countries are expanding into technology alliances, it is more important than ever to move away from solo research and engage in open research that collaborates with the world's top research institutions and researchers?so-called ‘global R&D’.

Reflecting this situation, our government is actively promoting the strengthening of global R&D. In November last year, it established the ‘Global R&D Promotion Strategy Leading the World,’ and this year, the government allocated as much as 1.8167 trillion won for the global R&D budget. The government’s policy is to make this year the inaugural year of global R&D.

Minister Lee also mentioned in his welcoming remarks at the ‘1st Korea-EU Semiconductor Researchers Forum’ held on the same day, "The Korean government plans to triple the global R&D budget compared to last year."

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