The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it will overhaul the Basic Research Promotion Act enacted 35 years ago.
On the 19th, the Ministry of Science and ICT held the first meeting of the 'Basic Research Strategic Dialogue' chaired by First Vice Minister Lee Chang-yoon. The meeting was held to review the support system for basic research as the government's budget for basic research exceeded 3 trillion won and to seek future development directions.
The Basic Research Strategic Dialogue includes participation from leading figures in academia and key actors in basic research administration. Participants include Yoo Ji-bum, president of Sungkyunkwan University, Hur Young-woo, president of Kyungpook National University, Lee Jun-ho, director of the Basic Science Institute at Seoul National University, and Sung Maeng-je, a professor at Chung-Ang University’s Department of Physics.
The Ministry of Science and ICT noted that it would operate in a flexible manner, moving away from the previous meeting format where the government set the agenda, allowing private experts to discover topics and select participants based on discussion themes. During the first meeting held that day, discussions were made about the vision for basic research, and the second meeting, scheduled for early March, will focus on the support system for individual basic research.
The Ministry of Science and ICT also plans to discuss the direction of the comprehensive revision of the Basic Research Promotion Act enacted in 1990 through the Basic Research Strategic Dialogue. Suggestions were made regarding the redefinition of basic research, differentiation in support for research and technology development, and the establishment of responsibilities between the government and the research community. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it would proceed with the comprehensive revision of the bill based on the discussions.