"Significantly expand the R&D budget during my term
"Significantly expand the R&D budget during my term
"We will significantly expand the R&D budget during my term and generously support future generations to grow into world-class researchers"
5 Jan. 2024
2024 New Year's greetings to scientists and information and broadcasters
I am very pleased and honoured to be here at KIST in Hongneung-dong, where the history of Korea's science and technology is alive and well. This is the place where I followed my father when I was in elementary school, and I think he came to work here from the United States, and I saw the Western-style private residences and lived in an old hanok house, and I dreamed of becoming a great scientist myself. And here I am, 55 years later.
KIST was founded by President Park Chung-hee in 1966 to support the industrialisation of Korea with a vision of scientific immigration and technological independence. At that time, Korea was the only developing country in the world to have a dedicated minister for science and technology. Together, forward-thinking leaders and challenging scientists and engineers have made Korea what it is today, and now we have begun to take new innovative steps to become a first mover.
During my term, I will significantly expand the R&D budget and fully support innovative and challenging R&D, no matter how much it costs.
It's called fiscal conservatism, and it's about spending what you have to spend, when you have to spend it. It's the same reason why we save money at home, but spend whatever we have to spend on our children's education. We will support our future generations of researchers to become world-class researchers. It's called R&D, and it's about building people. We'll leave the budgetary issues to the government, and we'll let you go for the best in the world.
We will drastically increase investment in three game-changing strategic technologies for the future - AI, advanced bio, and quantum - for which countries around the world are competing fiercely. We will create many high-quality, high-paying jobs by bundling R&D budgets and taxes into a package, and actively foster front-to-back industries. We will boldly tear down outdated regulations that do not meet global standards so that we can challenge innovative research without fear of failure. We will make Korea a global hub for science and technology.
We will soon create a new chief of science and technology in the presidential office, which is currently under recruitment. Through the Office of the President for Science and Technology, we will actively communicate with our scientists and engineers.
Scientists and engineers, information, broadcasting and communication workers, science and technology are the future of the country and the key to growth. Every country that has overcome wars and economic crises and developed has science and technology at its core. President Kennedy created the