Park Hong-geun: “Stable Investment in Future Strategic Technologies Will Help Researchers Focus on Their Work”

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[Financial News] Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-geun said on the 15th, "The government will actively support researchers so they can focus on their work from a long-term perspective through stable and sustained investment in future strategic technologies."
\r\nOn the same day, Park visited the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy in the Daedeok Research Complex, inspected research facilities, and held a policy meeting with officials from the Ministry of Science and ICT, industry, academia and research institutes to discuss building a sustainable research ecosystem and achieving technology-driven growth.
Park also visited the KSTAR experimental building at KFE to review the current status of fusion research and its major achievements. He described KSTAR as "a representative example showing that long-accumulated research capabilities and bold R&D can lead to meaningful technological results."
At the subsequent meeting, representatives from industry, academia and research in key strategic fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, space and advanced biotechnology shared views on responding to global technology competition, supporting startup and commercialization efforts based on research outcomes, and maximizing R&D results for technology-driven growth.
Park said, "The growth of our science and technology has been possible thanks to the constant challenges at research sites and the dedication of researchers." He added, "I am deeply aware of the difficulties the research community faced when past R&D budgets were cut without sufficient prior review or communication with the field, as well as the resulting decline in trust in the government."
In particular, Park stressed, "This year, the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Science and ICT have been working much more closely than before to discuss R&D budgets and systems together." He added, "We will systematically prepare medium- to long-term R&D investment directions so that research can continue steadily despite changes in the political and external environment."
Park said, "The government views R&D as a core investment that will determine South Korea's future growth and national competitiveness." He noted that the 2026 R&D budget was the largest ever and recorded the highest rate of increase, and added that the government plans to continue expanding fiscal investment in R&D in 2027 as well, with special attention to securing national strategic technologies, strengthening the competitiveness of advanced industries and nurturing future key talent.
The ministry plans to carefully review the opinions discussed on the day in future budget drafting and institutional reform. It also intends to keep communication channels with the field open at all times and concentrate policy capacity on building a sustainable science and technology research ecosystem in close cooperation with the Ministry of Science and ICT and other relevant ministries.
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syj@fnnews.com Seo Young-jun Reporter