Ministry of Science and ICT joins forces with research institutes to explore science and technology cooperation projects with the new U.S. government

On Tuesday, March 11,  the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Yoo Sang-im, hereinafter referred to as the “MSIT”)  First Vice Minister Lee Chang-yoon held a meeting with  major research institutes at the Daedeok Special Zone to  strengthen Korea-U.S. science and technology cooperation .

This meeting was arranged to share the results  of Vice Minister Lee Chang-yoon ’s  business trip to Boston   last February  with research institutes  and to discuss the discovery of science and technology cooperation projects with  the new U.S.  government . A total of  12 institutions , including the National Research Council of Science and Technology, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, the Korea Institute of Energy Research, and the Korea Atomic Energy Research  Institute , and about 30 people  attended .

  Prior to the meeting,  the Ministry of Science and ICT  shared with participating research institutes  the science and technology trends of the new U.S. administration and the status of the U.S. Department  of Energy (DoE)’  s designation of sensitive countries , and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning  gave presentations on  the ‘U.S. Science and Technology Ideals ( Vision ) ’ and  ‘Changes in the Concept of Science Diplomacy’ prepared by key figures in the U.S. science community. Afterwards, each participating research institute presented on the ROK-U.S. cooperative  projects they are promoting at the institutional level , followed by  in-depth discussions  on  challenges and  future development directions . 

  Vice Minister Lee Chang-yoon stated, “ In order to  continuously strengthen science and technology cooperation with the new U.S. administration , the role of our  research institute ,  which  has cooperative networks with the U.S.  national laboratories and  leading universities, is very  important ,” and “ We will  actively support the further expansion and advancement of  the research institute’s cooperative projects by arranging   high-level meetings with the new U.S. administration in the future .” In addition, regarding the recent  designation of a sensitive country by the U.S. Department of Energy, he added, “ The  Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed through  dialogue with the Department of Energy that there are no issues with science and technology cooperation and  that they are willing to cooperate in the future . We will continue to work with  the relevant ministries to resolve this issue .”