Members of ruling and opposition parties agreed that strengthening domestic basic research capabilities requires both guaranteeing researchers' autonomy and providing long-term research support.
During a national audit on the 20th targeting research institutions under the National Assembly Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation (NRF) held at the main campus of KAIST in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, People Power Party lawmaker Choi Hyeong-du pointed out that "long-term supported research projects account for only 1.2% of the total domestically."
Choi noted that "the lack of long-term support for basic research is the reason why Korea has not produced a Nobel Prize in Science."
According to materials presented by Choi, countries that have produced multiple Nobel Prizes in Science, such as the United States, Germany, and Japan, have established programs supporting research for periods ranging from a minimum of seven years up to 12 years.
The U.S. "HHMI Researcher Program" provides approximately $11 million (about 14.6 billion won) over seven years to selected researchers, with no limit on the number of times one can participate in the program as long as they pass the review.
In Japan, the "WPI (World Premier International Research Center) Program" designates selected universities as research hubs and supports them over a period of 10 years. Approximately 700 million yen (about 5.8 billion won) is invested per year for each research hub.
Choi stated, "The current support method, which focuses on short-term projects, is no longer sufficient," and added, "With the abolition of the PBS (Project-Based Support System), the operational direction of government-funded research institutions should also change."
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Hwang Jung-ah also emphasized that long-term and consistent support for basic research is necessary for Korea to produce Nobel Prize winners in Science.
Hwang said, "During the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the selection rate for basic research projects plummeted to one-third of previous levels, causing too many researchers to lose opportunities," and warned, "If basic research decreases, source technologies that will lead future industries and scientific technologies that will lead the world will not develop."
Citing remarks by Susumu Kitagawa, a professor at Kyoto University in Japan who won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Hwang stated, "(Achievements in basic research) come from how much the government at the time protected the originality of the research," and urged the Ministry of Science and ICT to formulate consistent and long-term support policies for basic research.
in TECH
