The burden related to conflicts of interest applied when a researcher at government-funded research institutes starts a business using the institute's technology or holds equity in corporations to which the technology was transferred will be eased.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said on the 10th that a promulgation bill for amendments to the Act on the Establishment, Operation, and Fostering of government-funded research institutes in the field of science and technology and the four science and technology institutes' related acts was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 8th. The amended laws are scheduled to take effect in March next year, six months after promulgation.
The amendments were prepared to promote commercialization of research outcomes, including startups and technology transfer by researchers at government-funded research institutes. The research field has pointed out that conflict-of-interest rules have posed a burden when researchers start businesses using their own developed technologies or form relationships with corporations that receive technology transfers.
Under the amended laws, even if a researcher at a government-funded research institute starts a business using the institute's technology or holds equity in a corporation that received a transfer of that technology, that corporation will not be considered a private interest party under the Act on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest.
A basis was also established for external activities by employees of government-funded research institutes and the four science and technology institutes. A new provision allows job-related external activities such as offering advice or consulting to corporations that use research institute technologies or assuming positions.
Before implementing the system, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to collect on-site opinions and revise the "guidelines for startups by researchers at government-funded research institutes."
First Vice Minister Ku Hyeok-chae of the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "An institutional foundation has been established for researchers to take on deep-tech startups based on their research outcomes," and added, "We expect it will help connect research outcomes in advanced areas, including the seven SEED fields, to the market."