MSIT to Inject 6.4 Trillion Won into R&D in 2026... Focusing on Basic Research Safety Net and Strategic Technologies

Holding a briefing session with the research community to share policy directions... Creating an environment for fearless challenges in the face of failure

The government will inject approximately 6.4 trillion won into science and technology research and development (R&D) in 2026 to expand the safety net for basic research and focus on fostering national strategic technologies. Based on the largest-ever R&D budget, it plans to support the growth of researchers and accelerate technology-driven growth.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 4th that it held the "2026 Science and Technology R&D Policy and Major Projects Briefing Session" and shared this R&D direction with the research community.

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Restoring 2,000 basic research projects... Management focused on beneficiary rate

The Ministry of Science and ICT will invest about 6.4 trillion won in science and technology R&D out of this year's total government R&D budget of 35.5 trillion won. This amount excludes the information and communications and broadcasting (ICT) sector and operating expenses for government-funded research institutes, and is intended to support a major transition and great leap forward in national science and technology.

In particular, in the field of basic research, with the goal of becoming one of the "world's top five powerhouses in basic research" by 2030, the ministry plans to restore 2,000 basic research projects in 2026 to expand the research safety net. It also presented a policy to manage basic research programs more systematically by focusing on the "beneficiary rate," which is the proportion of basic research beneficiaries relative to full-time faculty members in science and engineering.

Alongside this, the ministry also outlined directions for advancing the R&D management system, including creating a culture that tolerates failure by turning failures into learning and accumulation, establishing a rational and high-level evaluation system, and implementing data- and AI-based research management.

Fostering strategic technologies such as bio, quantum, and semiconductors

The Ministry of Science and ICT presented an investment strategy to secure fundamental technologies in strategic technology fields of growing national importance, such as bio, quantum, semiconductors, and future energy. It also announced plans to develop AI models and build research infrastructure to accelerate innovation in science and technology.

Support for technology commercialization will also be strengthened. The ministry plans to strategically invest in technology scaling up, strengthening capabilities for technology transfer and commercialization, and laboratory start-ups so that research achievements at public research institutions such as universities and government-funded research institutes can spread to industrial sites.

The briefing session was held at Konkuk University, with about 300 participants, including researchers from industry, academia, and research institutes, as well as officials from university industry-academic cooperation foundations. It was also streamed live online through the Ministry of Science and ICT YouTube channel, and after the presentations, department heads from the Ministry of Science and ICT and technology directors from the National Research Foundation of Korea held a Q&A session to exchange views with researchers.

An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "We will ensure that the budget leads to outcomes for the public, befitting the era of 35 trillion won in government R&D investment," adding, "By expanding the safety net for basic research and fostering strategic technologies, we will create an environment where researchers do not fear failure and can take on world-class research."

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