Lee Min-hyung, CEO of Astromorph, who had been appointed program director (PD) for the artificial intelligence (AI) scientist institutional sector of the cross-ministry project "K-Moonshot" to solve science and technology grand challenges with AI, has tendered a resignation.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said at a K-Moonshot briefing held on the 12th at the Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology in Seoul that the PD conveyed a desire to focus on managing corporations and expressed an intent to resign, and that it is awaiting approval from Vice Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon.
As a result, K-Moonshot faces the variable of a vacancy in a key mission lead even before the mission-by-PD system is fully up and running.
K-Moonshot PDs oversee and coordinate research and development (R&D) programs for 12 missions. The PD in question is the head of startup Astromorph, which is developing an AI scientist model. Astromorph is developing an AI model called "Spacer" that generates biotechnology hypotheses and recently raised 42 billion won.
However, the PD, who is in the early 20s, recently faced questions online over academic credentials and work history. In response, the Ministry of Science and ICT earlier said there were no issues on the resume.
Kim Sung-soo, director general for research and development policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said at the briefing, "Because there are few experts in the AI scientist field, we do not think it will be easy to select a new PD," adding, "If the PD's resignation is accepted, we are considering having the head of the National AI for Science Research Center (NAIS) concurrently oversee the mission rather than reopening recruitment." He also said the ministry does not intend to exclude the AI scientist mission from K-Moonshot.
The AI scientist mission has been described within K-Moonshot as a task linked to the National AI for Science Research Center. The Ministry of Science and ICT has explained that the National AI for Science Research Center will lead the national AI integrated platform, while the PD's mission involves developing an autonomous science system by bringing together agents and autonomous laboratories.
The National AI for Science Research Center is currently operating under the leadership of operations head Yoo Yong-gyun. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to formally appoint a center director in July after administrative procedures, and is planning a staff of about 56 this year, including research, technical, administrative, and seconded personnel.
Meanwhile, procedures to convert K-Moonshot PDs into special-duty researchers at the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) are also scheduled to proceed next month. K-Moonshot PDs are currently selected as part-time expert committee members at NST, and after revising relevant regulations, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to convert PDs into special-duty researchers around July.
Once converted to special-duty researchers, they will become NST employees, and the revolving door policy—measures to prevent conflicts of interest and restrict for-profit activities—will be applied more strictly. At the briefing, the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "For PDs coming from corporations, we instructed full-time work," adding, "If they do not meet the principle of full-time or semi-full-time service, conversion to special-duty researcher may not be possible, in which case they will be removed from the PD post."