The 2027 budget submitted by the Ministry of Science and ICT to the National Assembly was increased by 133.46 billion won during the review process by the National Assembly's standing committee. Budget allocations for research and development (R&D) areas, including personnel costs for government-funded research institutes, and artificial intelligence (AI) expenditures were expanded.
The Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee of the National Assembly held a plenary session on the afternoon of the 13th at the Seoul Yeouido National Assembly building, where it approved the 2027 budget proposals and fund operation plans for four institutional investors, including the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission.
Kim Nam-guk, chair of the Budget and Settlement Review Subcommittee of the Science, ICT and Broadcasting Committee, stated in his report on the review results, "We approved an increase totaling 133.6434 billion won in the expenditure and spending sections of the budget proposal and fund operation plan under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT." The Ministry of Science and ICT announced a total budget scale of 29.6 trillion won in September this year.
Looking at the major projects of the Ministry of Science and ICT, personnel costs increased by 11.8697 billion won to improve the treatment of staff at the 23rd government-funded research institutes under the National Research Foundation of Korea (NST).
The '4 Poles and 3 Specials' science and technology innovation support project saw an increase of 31.072 billion won for additional task support, while the construction of a safe laboratory environment received an increase of 15.568 billion won. Expenditures for the AI Agent Leading Country Project and the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) AI Threat Response Service Support Project increased by 30 billion won and 50 billion won, respectively.
The Budget and Settlement Subcommittee of the Science, ICT and Broadcasting Committee decided to propose an increase of 263.6 billion won for the Future Response Fund under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
It expressed the opinion that an increase of 115.5 billion won is necessary to expand the number of tasks so that the expansion of domestic AI DC (Artificial Intelligence Data Center) construction does not result in demand for foreign equipment, specifically for the 'AI DC Cloud Technology Development and Advancement Project' for materials, components and equipment.
It also stated that an increase of 22.881 billion won is needed for the development of core nuclear fusion technologies and the construction of demonstration infrastructure to ensure timely commencement of research and development.
Additionally, the Science, ICT and Broadcasting Committee approved a budget proposal with a net increase of 109.382 billion won for the budget proposal and fund operation plan under the jurisdiction of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, an increase of 911 million won for the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission budget, and a net increase of 61.784 billion won for the budget under the jurisdiction of the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
The budget approved by the Science, ICT and Broadcasting Committee is scheduled to be finalized after review by the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Settlement. The statutory deadline for processing this year's budget proposal is the 2nd of next month.
in TECH
