The 1st Science and Technology Diplomacy Forum, hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MIST) and organized by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), was held at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido on May 13rd (Thursday). The event will be broadcast live online in compliance with quarantine rules and can be viewed again through the KISTEP YouTube channel.

 

(Link) https://youtu.be/_6n8Y8Db1J8

 

The program started with the opening speech of ▲ Vice Minister of MIST (Hong-Taek Yong) and the congratulatory speech of ▲ President of KISTEP (Sang-sun Kim). The first session had presentation on present and future of Science and Technology Diplomacy by ▲ Professor Seung-hwan Kim at Pohang University of Science and Technology, followed by the second session filled with current Science and Technology Diplomacy in Korea. The second session consisted of presentations by ▲ Director at KISTEP (Suncheon Byeon) and panel discussions and Q&A sessions under the theme of Korea's science and technology diplomacy and international cooperation achievements and tasks.

 

▲ Hong-Taek Yong, First Vice Minister of Science and Technology

"We will continue to hold Science and Technology Diplomacy Forums to create a foundation for deep discussions on science and technology diplomacy," said Hong-Taek Yong, first vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT. "We hope this forum will impart unfamiliar concepts of science and technology diplomacy to the general public."

▲ Sang-sun Kim, president of KISTEP

In a congratulatory speech, Sang-sun Kim, president of KISTEP, said, "We hope this forum will be a meaningful place to share Korea's science and technology diplomacy strategies, current status, and how it will develop in the future."

 

▲ Seung-hwan Kim, professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology

In the first session, Seung-hwan Kim, a physics professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology, presented under the theme of "The Present and Future of Science and Technology Diplomacy." Professor Kim explained the concept and the current status of science and technology diplomacy in major countries; the role of science and technology diplomacy in the international community; and strategies for developing the national science and technology policy to respond to future social changes.

He added, “In uncertain situations such as pandemics and climate change, science and technology have become key in all fields, and in this circumstance, science and technology diplomacy should address various global agendas and pursue sustainable development.”

 

▲ Suncheon Byeon, Director at KISTEP

In the second session, Sun-cheon Byeon, the director at KISTEP, presented under the theme of "Korea's Science and Technology Diplomacy and International Cooperation Achievements and Tasks." Currently, Korea is in a situation where the scale of science and technology diplomacy and international cooperation itself is insufficient and more active projects are in need, advising that cooperation is crucial in most fields; yet international cooperation systems or strategies in technology are lacking.

Through SWOT analysis, he presented strategies and future plans for science and technology diplomacy. He also proposed building concrete systems and exploring strategies for science and technology diplomacy, which will be pan-ministry level with both KISTEP and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

 

▲Youngja Bae, professor at Konkuk University

 

▲Panel Discussion

▲ Young-ja Bae, professor at Konkuk University led the discussion with the participation of ▲ Ji-won Sohn, director at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology ▲ Jae-ryeong Lee, executive director at Intel Korea ▲ Hyung-ha Kim, senior researcher at Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science ▲ Woo-sung Jung, professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology ▲Hee-jin Kim, director of the Korea Maritime Science and Technology Institute ▲ Joon-koo Yoo, professor at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Security.

 

Hyung-ha Kim, a researcher at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, stressed that establishing governance for science and technology diplomacy will develop country status as an international cooperation partner.

 

Woo-sung Jeong, a professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology, said that continuous growth of innovation capabilities is key and soft power is essential for science and technology diplomacy. He added, “We need to build a network with universities and various research institutes for public diplomacy, and it's important to foster degree-level human resources for science and diplomacy.”

 

Jae-ryeong Lee, executive director of Intel Korea, suggested to explore methods to cooperate with companies by associating issues which the general public can relate to.

 

Joon-koo Yoo, a professor at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Security, stressed the importance of human networks in science and technology diplomacy.

 

Ji-won Sohn, director at KISTI's Foreign Cooperation Division, explained the researcher's perspectives on international cooperation at the research site.

Hee-jin Kim, director at the Korea Maritime Science and Technology Institute, stressed the need of proposing the diplomatic approach to developing countries and developing base and public awareness on science and technology diplomacy.

 

Finally, Professor Young-ja Bae of Konkuk University reiterated the significance of the Science and Technology Diplomacy Forum and stressed that soft power is the core of science and technology diplomacy.