Symposium for ‘Special Act for National R&D Innovation’ was held under the joint auspices of Woongrae Noh (Chair, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee), Cheol Hee Lee (Member of National Assembly, Democratic Party), and Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), and jointly created by Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), The Korean Academy of Science and Technology, The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies (KOFST), and other 14 major institutes and organizations in science and technology on September 23rd (Mon), 2019.
 
 
The symposium was attended by Woongrae Noh (Chair, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee), Yonghyeon Shin (Administrative secretary, Bareunmirae Party, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee), Kiyoung Choi (Minister, Ministry of Science and ICT), Sung Soo Kim (Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT)), Sang-seon Kim (President, KISTEP), chairmen of major institutes and organizations, presidents of government-funded R&D institutes in science and technology, and panels from industries, universities, and institutes related to national R&D. The meeting was designed to gather opinions from research fields for the ‘Special Act for National R&D Innovation’, which was enacted for legislation by Cheol Hee Lee (Member of National Assembly, Democratic Party) last December.
 

The symposium began with the welcome address by Kiyoung Choi (Minister, Ministry of Science and ICT), and the congratulatory addresses by Woongrae Noh (Chair, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee) and Yonghyeon Shin (Administrative secretary, Bareunmirae Party, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee), and followed by the presentations of Sung Soo Kim (Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT)), Seung-bok Lee (Professor, Seoul National University), and Soon-Cheon Byeon (Director general, Office of S&T Policy Planning, KISTEP), and panel and open floor discussion were followed.
 

 

▲ Welcome address by Kiyoung Choi (Minister, Ministry of Science and ICT)

 
 

▲ Congratulatory address by Woongrae Noh (Chair, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee)

 
 

▲ Contratulatory address by Yonghyeon Shin
(Administrative secretary, Bareunmirae Party, Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee)

 


Vise minister Sung Soo Kim mentioned that “The expanded R&D budget on the basis of strengthening the capability of self-reliance on material·component·equipment is the secured stable budget in a certain level and also the public’s expectation for science and technology” during his presentation on ‘Necessity and direction of legal acts for national R&D innovation.’ Then he emphasized that “The solution for science and technology to meet the expectations from the nation and public is the main issue of the special act.”
 

 

 
▲ Sung Soo Kim (Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT))

 
Then the presentation on the major issues of ‘Special Act for National R&D Innovation’ followed. Professor Seung-bok Lee stressed that “Acts that can institutionally contain the issues of institutional improvement and policies of the government and improvements in research fields are necessary.” Then he explained that “The 3 crucial points of the special act are the improvement in limitation of the existing legal system according to co-management regulations and jurisdiction laws of departments, development of adventurous and creative research atmosphere by increasing autonomy of researchers, and settling sincere research ethics and raising sense of responsibility.”
 

Director Soon-Cheon Byeon presented that “The keys of the application of the special act to the all national R&D programs are to present principles of national R&D innovation, to improve complicate legal systems, to relieve administrative pressure and save management cost through developing research administrative systems, to improve delivery systems of research administrative services in the contact of researchers, and to improve laws and institutional managing systems.” Then he clarified that “This special act is a law for R&D system innovation that systematically organizes principles and contents to strengthen researchers’ autonomy and responsibility.”
 

 

 
 
▲ Seung-bok Lee (Professor, Seoul National University)

 
 

▲ Soon-Cheon Byeon (Director general, Office of S&T Policy Planning, KISTEP)

 
 

▲ Panel discussion

 

 
The panel discussion was led by Chong Min Yoon (Professor, Chungbuk National University Law School), with 7 panels of ▲Yeon-soo Kim (Professor, Chungnam National University), ▲Hyun Min Park (Senior researcher, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science), ▲Won-yong Lee (Professor, Yonsei University), ▲Kun-tai Park (Vice President, Korea Science Journalists Association) ▲Sung Hoon Kwon (Researcher, National Assembly Research Service), ▲Ji-sun Choi (Lawyer, Law & Science), and ▲Kyung-Sook Yoon (Director, Science & Technology Strategy Division, Ministry of Science and ICT), and discussed major issues and improvement directions in the legislative process.
 
  
The special act for national R&D innovation was enacted last December to manage national R&D programs in a comprehensive and systematic way that are currently managed differently by ministries, and to create autonomous and responsible research atmosphere. This act is currently on the review by the Standing committee (Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, Strategy & Finance Committee, Health & Welfare Committee, Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee).


 

 

▲ Photo from Grand Debate for ‘Special Act for National R&D Innovation’

 
 
 
KISTEP held total 22 regional legislative discussions and meetings by ministries and actively collected opinions from research fields prior to the deliberation of the National Assembly. The National Assembly, the Ministry of Science, and KISTEP are planning to draw up enforcement ordinances for the ‘Special act for national R&D innovation’ and continue to support and respond to legislative procedures.