As the year ends, many legislative activities see to complete parts of the yearly goals. Sejong City have expedited their relocation plans and the Korean Brain Research Insitute (KBRI) have finally become official. Meanwhile, a research force has been created to address the new changes to the Korean education system from past October, and senator Kang from the October issue has come forth with new proposals to bolster his past efforts.
Third Stage of Relocation to Sejong City Planned to be Accomplished by End of Year
The relocation of central government administrations and research institutes to Sejong City has initiated its third phase. The relocation is planned to be complete within this year. The research institutes will move into the Sejong National Policies Research Complex (unofficial Romanization, UR) and include government associated research institutes such as the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), Korea Transport Institute (KOTI), and the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) and encompass a total of 2335 personnel. Seeing as how this initiative also includes the relocation of other government installations as important as the Ministry of Government Legislation, Sejong City will now become the central research and legislative hub it had originally planned out to be.
KBRI Officially Instated
Having celebrated completion ceremony on the past December 4, KBRI will officiate its position in Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF). Personnel from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) and many other institutes have participated in the ceremony and signifies the government’s support in nation-wide brain research. KBRI President Suh Yoo-hun has claimed that ‘KBRI will synergize with already existing brain research institutes via its forefront technology to not only stimulate research but also create the best environment for fundamental research.’
Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity (KOFAC) leads research team to revise the detail of Mathematics and Sciences Education Syllabus
According to the combined education syllabus presented past September, starting from 2018 high school students will all be learning Korean, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, and Natural Science. KOFAC has the legislative rights to developing the specifics to the Mathematics and Natural Sciences syllabus and has put together a research group approximately equally consisting of education professionals, maths educators (34 people), and sciences educators (52 people) to address the tantamount task. Combined Science Studies (UR) President Jang of KOFAC has noted that despite the high performance of Korean students, the interest towards the subjects are unnaturally low, and that the team will aim to solve this social dilemma. The team held its first meeting on December 6 and 7.
Member of Parliament Kang Four Bill Proposals including Amendments to Science and Technology Policies
On November 18, Kang Gilbu, the Member of Parliament for Ulju County, has put forth more bill proposals in addition to the three from October. The bills address similar issues and are concerned with the Framework Act of Science and Technology (Law 12673, FAST) (UR), Act of Public Institution Operation (Law 12673, APIO, UR), etc. The bills aim to document the yearly efforts of MSIP to aid local technological advance, set practical standards in the accounting of research results, stimulate the interactions between industry, academia, and research (IAR) sectors, and create a communication between government run research institutes and medium, small corporations. In large, they are supplementary to past bills and aim to solidify the past efforts. Kang claimed that “national R&D efforts should aim to vitalize IAR cooperation and aid the economy via practical use of technology,’ and that ‘the bills address to overcome the presently minute results of such R&D efforts.’