IFI EBPM in STI/STIG Policy Platform Seminar: The 10-year development of Korea’s STI policy and R&D for solving social problems

Jeehoon Ki, Associate Research Fellow, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)

Presentation Title: The 10-Year Evolution of STI Policy for Social Problem-Solving in Korea

Abstract: This study delves into the decade-long progression of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy aimed at tackling social issues in Korea. Initiated in 2013, the inaugural 5-year Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems through Science and Technology (referred to as CP hereinafter) paved the way for subsequent iterations in 2018 and 2023. Correspondingly, there has been a consistent upswing in the government’s R&D budget earmarked for addressing societal challenges, currently comprising approximately 6% of the total R&D budget. Employing a blend of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this study scrutinizes shifts in visions, policy goals, and instruments across the three CPs. While the overarching vision has centered on national happiness throughout, noteworthy alterations in policy instruments emerge, particularly from the 2nd CP to the 3rd CP. Notably, the endeavor to establish a nexus between science, technology, and social innovation policy has been abandoned in favor of a focus on implementing R&D programs—the primary policy tool controlled by the Ministry of Science and ICT. This transition is examined through the lens of a dynamic multi-level perspective on system innovations (Geels, 2004).

Biography: Jeehoon Ki serves as an associate research fellow at KISTEP (韓国科学技術企画評価院), a governmental institution dedicated to supporting the Ministry of Science and ICT in Korea. KISTEP’s mission involves formulating science and technology policies and assessing government R&D programs. Within his role at KISTEP, Jeehoon specializes in developing R&D policies tailored to address societal challenges such as aging, the digital divide, and cybercrime. His research focuses on technological change, particularly in the mobility sector, science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy, as well as R&D evaluation.
In 2018, he earned the prestigious title of Renault Fellow from the Fondation France-Japon (FFJ) at l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in France. During this period, he conducted a meticulous comparative analysis of autonomous vehicle development policies in France, Korea, and Japan. His noteworthy study (Ki, 2020) sheds light on the strategic approaches of these nations: France adopting a demand-pull policy, Korea opting for a technology-push strategy, and Japan navigating a mixed approach.