[Editorial] R&D bang for buck

The world’s leading science journal Nature reported in its Aug. 21 supplement on South Korea that the country invests heavily in science, but that its "bang for the buck" -- judged by pitting research spending against output in the Nature Index -- is surprisingly low.

The Nature Index tracks the affiliations of high-quality scientific articles. Updated monthly, it presents research outputs by institution and country.

Korea's research and development spending at 5.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2022 trailed only Israel (5.6 percent).

The total R&D expenditure in both the public and private sectors in South Korea reached over 112 trillion won ($84.2 billion), according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Korea had the most researchers per 1,000 people. The number of full-time equivalent researchers per 1,000 economically active population in the country amounted to 9.5.

However, the country ranked eighth in terms of research output measured by the Nature Index.

Faltering ties between industry and academia and lack of both diversity and an open culture are among many challenges faced by Korea, according to the magazine. Gender disparity unfavorable to women and the career disconnect of female scientists were cited as serious concerns.

Students' preference for medical majors over natural sciences and engineering, the world’s lowest birth rate and declining student numbers in Korea all contribute to the shortage of researchers.

Korea's economy developed rapidly thanks to its efforts to nurture talented scientists and engineers. But the situation has changed. Decrease in its population is accelerating, affected by the world's lowest fertility rate in Korea. The number of masters and doctors of natural sciences and engineering is expected to nearly halve by 2050, according to the Science and Technology Policy Institute.

Furthermore, 46.7 percent of science and engineering majors were employed in the fields unrelated to their majors as of 2022. The shortage of researchers seems to have become chronic. Korea should ensure that talents in natural sciences and engineering will be able to build their careers in the fields related to their majors.

Many universities and government-funded research institutes in the country have not escaped yet from obsession with short-term output. This is incited by government grants that usually last a year. Short-term research can hardly produce significant results. In addition to overemphasis on short-term achievements, the caprice of government R&D policy hinders attempts at long-term research.

More than a few institutes try to win research contracts just to earn their personnel expenses rather than to make meaningful results. President Yoon Suk Yeol decided last year to slash the government's overall R&D budget to break just such a custom. Though the government decided later to restore the budget amid backlash from scientists, its initial budget cut decision has inflicted a scratch on the local community of researchers.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recommended in its reviews of South Korea's innovation policy last year that the country enact a paradigm shift to support innovation in the context of a longer time frame. The organization also advised Korea to pursue a consistent policy from a broad viewpoint. These suggestions address the situation where basic sciences are relatively neglected for the reason of failing to make immediate results.

In this circumstance, it is difficult to expect outstanding research output. Even if talents are nurtured in Korea, they will likely leave the country for better conditions abroad.

In order to raise the effectiveness of the nation's R&D mechanism, the government should communicate closely with researchers and encourage their creativity and challenging spirit rather than pressing for short-term results.

It is necessary to support research projects fully if they are promising, but in doing so, autonomy and responsibility should both be imposed on related institutes. Academia and industry ought to be linked this way.

An atmosphere for high-risk, high-return research is just as necessary as one for short-term performance. In order for innovation in science and technology to contribute to Korean society and the economy, consistent and long-term R&D support is indispensable.