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Senior secretary for science and technology nominee Park Sang-ook (Yonhap) |
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."
