President Lee Jae-myung will receive work reports in mid-month from some 50 state-funded research institutes (grants-funded institutes). It effectively signals the resumption of the work reports that wrapped up in the first round at the end of last year.
According to government circles on the 3rd, the president is set to receive work reports on the 17th from 26 grants-funded institutes under the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences (NRC) and 23 grants-funded institutes under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST). Several other quasi-government institutions, including mutual aid associations that were left out of last year's work reports, will also attend. Lee Han-ju, chair of the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, known as the president's economic aide, will also attend.
The grants-funded institutes are grappling with multiple issues carried over from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, including improving treatment of researchers, talent outflow, and poor management. Because many heads of institutions were appointed under the former president Yoon, there is a strong chance the president will press with pointed questions. As discussions on restructuring and consolidating public institutions are gaining momentum led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the work report may also raise consolidation of grants-funded institutes with overlapping functions and roles.
As in December last year, this work report is expected to be broadcast live. At that time, the president received work reports from 228 public institutions, including 19 ministries, five offices, 18 agencies, and seven commissions. Broadcasting all the work reports live on YouTube drew wide attention.
At a Cabinet meeting on Dec. 16 last year, the president said of the live work reports, "I even heard people say they're more fun than Netflix," adding, "State affairs must be made transparent to the people. Only then can people-centered state management work properly and popular sovereignty be substantiated."
This work report is expected to serve as a bridge between the year-end work reports last year and the ones to resume after the local elections. After finishing the year-end work reports with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Dec. 23 last year, the president said the reports would resume in six months.
An official in government circles said, "It brings together those left out of the year-end work reports," adding, "It also feels like a warm-up before fully resuming ministry work reports after the local elections."
However, if the Middle East situation escalates, the work reports could be postponed. This round was initially set for March but was delayed once due to the Middle East crisis. A government official said, "There was a presidential order to receive reports from the grants-funded institutes and public institutions that have not conducted work reports," adding, "However, given the gravity of the Middle East crisis, the schedule is somewhat fluid."