Strengthen S&T Research Security Now—Make International Cooperation Strategic

The forum on International S&T Cooperation for National and Economic Security was held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 9, in Meeting Room 4 of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building (the lawmakers’ office complex). It was hosted by Rep. Jeong-heon Lee and organized by the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP; President Taeseok OH). Rep. Lee serves on the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee and chairs the Democratic Party of Korea’s (DPK) Special Committee on ICT.

The forum was convened amid intensifying global competition for technological primacy and a sharp expansion of Korea’s global R&D budget. It examined policy options for closer coordination between the legislature and the executive branch to put Korea’s international S&T cooperation on a more strategic footing.

Rep. Jeong‑heon Lee (Democratic Party of Korea)

In opening remarks, Rep. Lee said his recent parliamentary work has underscored the urgent need for technology and research security. Citing insufficient responses in Korea following the U.S. Department of Energy’s “sensitive countries” list, he stressed that Korea must optimize its national strategy for what he called an era of “technopolitics,” in which a nation’s fate is shaped by the speed and direction of technological change. He emphasized balancing protection of research assets with international collaboration, adding that the National Assembly and the administration need to work closely together to develop a set of policy options.

Rep. Jung-a Hwang emphasized that science and technology are no longer confined to academia, but are increasingly matters of diplomacy and sovereignty. She serves on the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, and on the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Special Committee on S&T Innovation.

“Cutting‑edge technologies such as AI, semiconductors, and quantum are directly tied to national defense, national security, and even national survival,” she said, underscoring the importance of technological sovereignty. She also pledged to actively support these efforts through legislation, policy, and budget measures, reaffirming her commitment to tangible support that reflects voices from the field.

1st Vice Minister Hyuk-chae Koo (MSIT)

Delivering congratulatory remarks, First Vice Minister Hyuk-chae Koo (MSIT) said, “Amid the AI great‑transition and intensifying technology‑primacy rivalry, it is a crucial moment to examine how to protect Korea’s research assets while deepening cooperation with the international community.” He also pledged to strengthen and streamline the institutional framework.

Delivering the first presentation, Prof. Sang-bae Kim (Department of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University) emphasized that competition for technological primacy has shifted from a purely industrial contest to a multilayered struggle intertwining technology, the economy, and security. “Since the Second Industrial Revolution, technology has been inseparable from national security,” he said, noting that the United States and China—particularly in AI—are pursuing divergent strategies to shape the international order. He added that in digital trade, data security is emerging as a non‑tariff barrier, and urged Korea, as a middle power, to recognize the competitive dynamics beneath the surface of cooperation and devise strategies to seize niche openings.

Next, Dr. In‑kyung Seon (Science and Technology Policy Institute, STEPI) presented on the rise of research security and international responses. Stressing that research security is not a single‑country issue but a shared agenda, she cited examples of how major international organizations (the OECD and EU) and advanced economies (the G7) are responding. Because international cooperation is inevitable for Korea, she called for protecting researchers and talent and fostering trust‑based collaboration. Research security, she added, should be understood not merely as protective measures, but as part of a broader reconfiguration of the international order—spanning research ethics, technology commercialization, and international cooperation—and it requires an integrated approach.

Finally, Kim Jin-Yong, director of KISTEP’s Strategic Technology Policy Center, outlined Korea’s approach to securing national strategic technologies and its strategy for international cooperation. He noted that, amid intensifying U.S.–China rivalry, major countries are prioritizing the development of their own critical strategic technologies. Korea, he added, has laid the institutional groundwork by designating 12 National Strategic Technologies and 50 Detailed Priority Technologies. He also announced plans to increase government R&D investment by 45 percent—from KRW 4.7 trillion in 2023 to KRW 8.5 trillion in 2026—and to commit a total of KRW 3.5 trillion to ten flagship projects in strategic technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs), quantum technologies, advanced biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. International cooperation, he stressed, cannot remain limited to joint research; it requires an integrated strategy spanning diplomacy, trade, and security, with “choke‑point technologies” as a focus for securing technological sovereignty.

President Taeseok OH (KISTEP)

The ensuing panel discussion was chaired by KISTEP President Taeseok OH. He framed the central question as how to balance openness in research with research security within the twin dynamics of cooperation and competition. While Korea continues to pursue international cooperation, the panel made it a key agenda item to craft strategies for responding to shrinking collaboration and stronger research‑security demands in advanced economies. Panelists included Seong‑hoon Hwang (Director General for International Cooperation Bureau, MSIT), Kim, Jong Duk (Executive Director, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, KIEP), Seok‑yeol Lee (President, Korean University Accreditation Institute), Jeong‑hyeon Yoon (Research Fellow, Institute for National Security Strategy, INSS), and Yoo JoonKoo (Director, Center for Security Strategy, Sejong Institute).

DG Seong‑hoon Hwang (MSIT) underscored that balancing researcher autonomy with research security is pivotal. Given that sustained cooperation increasingly depends on partnering with countries that maintain research‑security systems, he called for stronger security training for researchers and institutional foundations, along with alignment with international organizations to refine relevant legal frameworks.

Director Jong‑deok Kim (KIEP) pointed to the structural limitations of Korea’s R&D and stressed the need to strengthen the country’s own capabilities. Citing an analysis of Google patent data, he observed that Korea is a strong player globally, but still has limitations when competing at the technological frontier with the United States and China. He also pointed to talent shortages as a major challenge and proposed a strategy to secure talent through cooperation with ASEAN countries.

President Seok‑yeol Lee (Korean University Accreditation Institute) offered recommendations from the perspective of universities. He called for national‑level research‑security guidelines, ex ante risk‑assessment protocols, and the operation of an expert advisory panel. He emphasized the need for balanced, researcher‑informed policies so that overly restrictive measures do not dampen researchers’ motivation to conduct research.

Research Fellow Jeong‑hyeon Yoon (INSS) analyzed shifts under the second Trump administration, urging a re‑definition of Korea’s strategic role. As a middle power capable of partnering with the U.S. and EU, Korea plays a bridging role; if that weakens, China’s norms and standards will be harder to counter. He also pointed to opportunities for Korean leadership in multilateral cooperation on less‑attended issues such as disaster and health security.

Director Yoo JoonKoo (Sejong Institute) warned of the ripple effects from tightening U.S. technology controls, cautioning that a “second Huawei scenario” could recur. He urged Korea to build techno‑diplomacy capacity and to prepare a basic toolkit—covering researcher protection, talent pipelines, and principles for joint research—to ensure trustworthiness in international cooperation.

A range of solutions was put forward during the forum, including balancing researchers’ autonomy with security, strengthening national R&D capacity, improving universities’ on‑the‑ground response systems, refining middle‑power diplomatic strategy, and developing a technology‑diplomacy toolkit. Participants also broadly agreed on the need for a strategic approach that sustains international cooperation while recognizing the reality that competition exists beneath the surface of cooperation.

Group photo