Starting this year, the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Science and ICT will permanently operate an R&D budget council. This initiative aims to expand mutual participation in the R&D budget allocation and adjustment process, thereby enhancing both expertise and fiscal efficiency. Previously, inter-ministerial communication relied mainly on informal discussions at the working level, making systematic consultation on key issues difficult. Through this reform, the two ministries plan to establish a cooperative system where they discuss and share responsibilities from the early stages.
In 2024, the total R&D budget amounts to KRW 35.5 trillion, with 85.3% (KRW 30.5 trillion) allocated as major R&D funds. The Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters of the Ministry of Science and ICT prepares the initial allocation and adjustment plan, which is then finalized by the Ministry of Planning and Budget. Moving forward, a director-level permanent council will convene monthly to discuss key topics such as government R&D investment priorities, expenditure efficiency measures, and new project reviews. Additionally, vice-ministerial consultations will be held to ensure a more stable and predictable cooperative structure.
Mutual participation between the two ministries in the budget formulation process will be expanded. The Ministry of Planning and Budget will join the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters in preparing major R&D allocation and adjustment plans. The National Science and Technology Advisory Committee’s expert subcommittees will conduct in-depth reviews and provide advice on R&D projects submitted by each ministry, with the Ministry of Planning and Budget actively involved. During the budget formulation process, the opinions of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters will be reflected through advance discussions in the permanent council, improving understanding of each project’s content and strategic necessity.
The management system for new R&D projects will also be improved. In principle, new project requests not reviewed during the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters’ allocation process will be restricted at the budget formulation stage. Exceptions will be made only for projects of national policy importance or urgency, which will also undergo review by the advisory committee regarding appropriate scale and necessity. These improvements will be applied from next year’s budget formulation process, and both ministries plan to continue close cooperation to ensure increasingly efficient R&D investments.