With the government approving the 2027 budget at its State Council meeting on the 1st, the 2027 government R&D budget has been finalized at 39.5 trillion won.
This represents an increase of 4 trillion won (11.2%) compared to the previous year. While it falls short of last year's growth rate of 19.9%, it exceeds the average annual R&D budget growth rate of 7.2% over the past two decades.
The "Major R&D" budget, which covers key science and technology projects and is coordinated by the Ministry of Science and ICT Innovation, stands at 33.8 trillion won, an increase of 11.5% from the previous year. The "General R&D" budget, covering university and humanities/social science research projects and coordinated by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, amounts to 5.7 trillion won, up 9.8% from last year.
Next year's government R&D will be driven by large-scale projects such as the '3 Mega Projects' and '7 SEED (Seed) Projects.' Among these, new initiatives launching next year total 3.3 trillion won, the highest in history.
First, 5.8 trillion won will be invested in the '3 Mega Projects.' Of this, 4.1 trillion won will be concentrated on △AI, △Physical AI, and △AI Data Centers. The goal is to become the world's leading nation in Physical AI by 2030 through advancements in K-AIDC materials, components and equipment (MCE), cloud technologies, and development of core Physical AI technologies.
The '7 Seed Projects,' which involve preemptive investment in future technologies such as SMRs (Small Modular Reactors), nuclear fusion, and solar cells, will also officially launch next year. The total investment scale is 3.7 trillion won. By 2035, the plan aims to commercialize SMRs and demonstrate 100MW-class nuclear fusion energy. High-efficiency perovskite tandem solar cells are targeted for commercialization by 2028.
Approximately 2 trillion won more than last year will be allocated to the 10th Next-Strategy Technology Areas, totaling 13.8 trillion won. Key investment areas include △advanced biotechnology such as BCI (Brain-Computer Interface), △space and aerospace such as small lunar landers, and △quantum technologies such as domestic quantum computers.
Additionally, the government aims to reform its R&D support system. Moving beyond traditional government funding models, it will increase R&D investments based on Special Purpose Companies (SPCs) that follow a cycle of investment, recovery, and reinvestment. This amounts to 4.2 trillion won.
To overcome regional imbalances, regional R&D will be expanded to 4.5 trillion won, an increase of about 1 trillion won from the previous year. Regional autonomous R&D initiatives such as '4-Pole 3-Special Science and Technology Innovation' and '5-Pole 3-Special Growth Engine Projects' will be broadened, and four major science and technology institute-linked R&D projects will also be increased.
Investment in basic research will reach 3.6 trillion won, an increase of 200 billion won from last year. The total number of projects, including ongoing ones, is expected to rise by approximately 1,000. The government's support ratio for personnel costs at government-funded research institutions will increase from 60.3% this year to 70.2% in 2027. With the abolition of the PBS (Project-Based System), the government plans to fully guarantee personnel costs for research institute staff by 2030.
Park In-gyu, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters, stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the seeds of Korea's great leap forward rooted in science and technology blossom into tangible results that all citizens can experience."
The government R&D budget proposal will be finalized after deliberation by the National Assembly.
in TECH
