Presidential office names new senior science secretary in R&D push

President Yoon Suk Yeol's office announced on Thursday it has created a new senior secretary post for science and technology to embolden the administration's push for research and development.

Park Sang-ook, associate professor of science policy at Seoul National University, will take the new role, according to Yoon's office.

Park, under Sung Tae-yoon, presidential chief of staff for policy, will supervise four presidential secretaries -- each dedicated to R&D-related policy, digital technology, bio-medical technology and future strategic technology -- according to Lee Kwan-sup, Yoon's chief of staff.

He has "actively been involved in providing policy advice in the field of science innovation," and is "highly motivated in the overhaul in the current R&D system," Lee added.

Park told reporters that he would be tasked with "upgrading Korea's science ecosystem on par with South Korea's elevated position as a first-mover."

South Korea's state budget related to R&D for this year stood at 26.5 trillion won ($19.8 billion), down by 15 percent compared with that of 2023. The presidential office said the R&D budget will again rise in 2025 after policy coordination efforts to achieve efficiency, adding the budget cut decision was meant to tackle the "customary practices of indiscriminate handouts."