Amid an unprecedented global complex crisis, the gap between countries across all fields, including economy, technology, health, environment, and culture, is growing. As this situation is expected to continue for a long time, the importance of economic security strategies is emphasized.

KISTEP and Seoul National University Institute for Future Strategy (IFS) held a joint forum on September 26 at KOFST under the theme of “The era of technology hegemony: directions and strategies for global cooperation in S&T in Korea.” The forum served as an opportunity to discuss the directions to take for global cooperation and to find ways to spread the results of cooperation between the two organizations across related fields, including industry, economy, diplomacy, and security. About 150 experts attended the event, which was broadcast live online.

President Byung-Seon Jeong explained the importance of the cooperation between the two institutes, saying, “It is quite encouraging that KISTEP, a leading think-tank in S&T innovation policy, and IFS, a transdisciplinary think-tank that connects government, society, and industry, have begun mutual cooperation. We hope that this will serve as an opportunity to continue discussion among all sectors of society on national strategic technologies in a rapidly changing economic and security environment.” 

△ Byung-Seon Jeong the President of KISTEP

Dr. Byung-Yeon Kim, President of IFS, stated the significance of the joint forum, saying, “As competition for technology hegemony intensifies, the importance of establishing technology sovereignty through cooperation with allies is increasing. It is essential to analyze global economic and security trends for the 12 major national strategic technologies and to expand R&D international cooperation based on them systematically.

△ Byung-Yeon Kim the President of IFS

In the congratulatory address, Dr. Young-Chang Joo, Vice minister for Science, Technology and Innovation at MSIT, expressed his expectations for the cooperation between KISTEP and IFS at a time when competition for technology hegemony is intensifying. “With the advent of the era of global S&T competition, I think it is meaningful that an opportunity has been created to secure competitiveness in strategic technologies,” he said. He also said that he would actively reflect the suggestions made through this forum into innovation policies.

△ Young-Chang Joo, Vice minister for Science, Technology and Innovation at MSIT

Dr. Hong Lim Ryu, President of Seoul National University, congratulated the cooperation between KISTEP and IFS through a video message. He said that he will spare no effort in providing all support to ensure that future cooperation between KISTEP and Seoul National University will be carried out in a multidisciplinary manner in various fields and that substantial implementation strategies can be derived.

△ Hong Lim Ryu, President of Seoul National University

In the keynote presentation, Dr. Jeong-Dong Lee, Professor at Seoul National University, who has emphasized long-term and stable support for R&D in the book “Time for Accumulation”, diagnosed the need to set a strategic direction that maximizes complementarity to secure cooperative technology sovereignty as competition for the hegemony intensifies. To this end, he suggested that the possibility and potential effects of cooperative technology sovereignty should be analyzed in advance, and technological analysis capabilities that can identify partners for international cooperation should be strengthened. Furthermore, he said that mid- to long-term support for so-called 'irreplaceable technologies' in order to be invited as a partner in the international cooperation should be reinforced.

△ Jeong-Dong Lee, Professor at Seoul National University Graduate School of Engineering Practice

KISTEP and IFS signed an MOU to combine the capabilities of both organizations as Korea's best think-tanks that they have accumulated to effectively respond to various issues such as competition for technology hegemony, economic security, global supply chain, and climate change. The two organizations plan to pursue a wide range of cooperation, from discovering various issues to establishing agendas and presenting alternatives through joint research, etc., and to widely disseminate the results of cooperation to all walks of life through joint forums and seminars.

△ KISTEP and IFS signed an MOU

The joint forum that followed included presentations and panel discussions by experts from both organizations. Ji-Ho Hwang from KISTEP presented on the topic “Diagnosis of current status and improvement directions of R&D for international cooperation”, and Jong Hee Park from SNU presented on the topic “Establishment of data-based economic security strategies and agenda development”.

Dr. Ji-Ho Hwang diagnosed the current situation, including the absence of mid- to long-term plans for R&D for international cooperation, lack of strategies in project implementation, and institutional constraints, and suggested ways to improve R&D for international cooperation across the entire cycle, including policy-institution-project.

△ Ji-Ho Hwang, Director General of the Office of Strategic Technology Planning at KISTEP

Dr. Jong Hee Park emphasized the need for strategies to consider and realize universal national interests commensurate with Korea's international status, and suggested developing agendas to pursue our national interests in a new economic order called the 'New Washington Consensus'.

△ Jong Hee Park, Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Seoul National University

The panel discussion was chaired by Ki Tae Nam, and participants including Youngdae Ryu, Hyun Kwang Seok, Wonho Yeon, and Sang Sik Chang presented various suggestions on global international cooperation R&D strategies and directions.

△ (From the left)

Ji-Ho Hwang, Director General of the Office of Strategic Technology Planning at KISTEP

Hyun Kwang Seok, Director General of the Research Planning & Coordination Division at KIST

Youngdae Ryu, Director General of the Directorate of International Affairs at NRF

Ki Tae Nam, Professor of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at SNU (Chairman)

Sang Sik Chang, Director General of the Institute for International Trade at KITA

Wonho Yeon, Head of the Economic Security Team at KIEP

Jong Hee Park, Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at SNU