 |
The citizens of Korea expect President-Elect Lee Myung-bak's government to create jobs and improve the economy. Some advocate that government policies creating favorable conditions under which Korean companies can invest their resources will promote economic growth in both the short and long term. This approach is both logical and rational.
Economic growth of advanced economies depends in large part on a strong infrastructure for science and technology (S&T), an infrastructure that can lead to the development of new industries, improved competitiveness of existing industries, and the creation of high paying jobs, all of which we have witnessed in Korea's recent history.
Over the past 30 years, Korea, led by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), has established a strong base fostering innovation in science and technology, leading to impressive industrial and economic development. Korea's success story is now well known throughout the world, making it a model for many developing nations.
To follow suit, China has established a Ministry of Science and Technology, and Hong Kong, Japan, and Saudi Arabia have all created educational and research institutions similar to the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
We understand that the transition team is considering ways to streamline the government in order to optimize efficiency. This effort does seem long overdue. However, as the team considers various options it is crucial that it recognizes the importance of reinforcing the infrastructure for science and technology to achieve its goal of reaching an economic parity with most developed nations.
In the 21st century, science and technology form a continuum. There are no sharp demarcation lines between science and technology, and they cannot be separated. For example, the development of integrated circuit (IC) required creativity, curiosity, imagination, and deep knowledge, which is the reason the inventor of IC received a Nobel prize, although IC may be classified as a technology.
This technology has, in turn, required specific scientific research as semiconductors became more complex. Similarly, now many researchers are working on human genome, which requires as much technology as science. Indeed to make progress in this area, technology and science cannot be separated.
That is the reason the organizations that can deal with both science and technology such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), IBM research laboratories and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have had a major impact on the economy as well as on science and technology.
Some technologies are so well established that industrial firms can deal with them without requiring fundamental research and development. Typically they involve modification of existing technologies. These well-established technologies are often subjects of research in industrial firms.
National Laboratories should not compete with these industrial firms in these areas where industry is active. National Laboratories should rather work on more advanced technologies that industry will need in the future but not working at this time.
As scientific fields advance and as technologies become sophisticated, new ideas are often synthesized at the interface between various disciplines of science and technology. This means that highly monolithic, single disciplinary research laboratories will not likely generate new exciting ideas.
Furthermore, even in organizations that have multi-disciplinary expertise, if the people in the organization do not collaborate across disciplinary lines, innovative culture is not likely to blossom. Under these circumstance, it is less likely to generate ideas that can be the basis for new industries, new science, and innovative products.
Among the world's advanced nations, few have successfully leveraged advances in science and technology to stimulate economic activity the way the United States has. The U.S. thus stands as an important example as Korea transitions towards a leading economy.
To this day America's policy regarding science and technology rests on the principles created towards the end of the Second World War.
During World War II, the U.S. government mobilized its universities to conduct research and develop technologies that would further the war effort. This mobilization, led by Dr. Vannevar Bush, Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) and a former professor and dean at MIT, yielded many new technologies that ultimately helped the Allied Forces achieve victory.
As the inevitability of that victory became clear, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a letter dated November 17, 1944, asked Dr. Bush to formulate a new research policy for the U.S. to insure that the nation continued to support the research-university infrastructure that was created for the war effort. This new S&T policy would capitalize on the universities' capabilities to create scientific and technological solutions to societal problems and to strengthen the economy.
In July 1945, Dr. Bush submitted to President Harry Truman (Franklin D Roosevelt's successor) a document entitled ``Science: The Endless Frontier," which led to the creation of the National Science Foundation (NSF), a branch of the US government performing the combined functions of Korea's MOST and the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF).
Today, the director of the NSF is appointed by and reports directly to the President of the United States and serves a six-year term. All of the members of the NSF's science board are also appointed directly by the President.
For the past 57 years, the NSF has played a powerful role in promoting advances in science and engineering, in generating highly qualified scientists and engineers, in securing national defense, and in strengthening the US economy. The role the NSF has played in maintaining America's competitiveness in science and technology, innovation, education cannot be over-emphasized. And though other nations have emulated this system, they have done so with varying degrees of success.
The NSF has played a major role in creating the world's leading research universities, such as MIT, Stanford University, the University of California, all of which have received strong government support for work in the basic sciences and technology.
Through such support, these universities have been able to turn out leaders of science and industry who have made significant contributions to the U.S. economy. Companies created by MIT graduates generate more revenue than the GDP of several nations. And Google Inc., which was created by two young Stanford students, now has a market capitalization of over $200 billion.
Korea must follow the example of the U.S. in developing its research universities. By doing so, it too can create a new industrial base through research and technological innovation.
The new Korean government needs to develop a national policy for science and technology that can induce research universities to create new businesses based on scientific advances and technological innovations. To this end, the Ministry of Science and Technology should be revamped and reinforced to strengthen science and engineering and to improve the R&D infrastructure of Korea.
Korea has been much more successful in its efforts to create a strong S&T infrastructure than many other nations. Korea has created excellent science high schools producing outstanding graduates, and world-class special S&T universities. Many nations have begun to emulate the Korean system, some with success. Korea should further improve the system that has provided Korea with its unique strengths and competitive advantages.
Reducing the number of ministries is an important goal for the new Korean government. But there must be other goals. One of these must be to strengthen the Korean economy through the advancement of science and technology. Korea must be careful not to destroy its successful scientific and technological infrastructure as it attempts to solve problems with its general educational system.
To have a vigorous economy through the creation of new industries as well as enhanced global competitiveness of existing industries, Korea needs a strong infrastructure for science and technology, including globally competitive research universities.
An independent government agency that promotes science and technology is needed to support R&D and to support a science-oriented educational system.
In the 21st century, science and technology have become a continuum. They cannot be separated. Any attempt to do so will invite future failures.
Suh Nam-pyo is president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
