KAIST Global Center for Development and Strategy메인으로 이동

Date: February 12, 2025

Speaker: Dr. Hwa Yong Ahn, Senior Research Fellow, National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)

Title: Strategies for Strengthening National R&D and Enhancing Interconnectivity in Response to Global Change

Dr. Hwa Yong Ahn presented policy directions and practical strategies to strengthen the national R&D system of Korea. 

At the macro level, he emphasized:

- Reinforcing collaboration among academia, research institutes, industry, government, and the military

- Redefining the national R&D coordination framework

- Establishing an integrated five-year plan that aligns economic, industrial, and R&D policies

At the micro-level, Dr. Ahn proposed:

- Reforming the Project-Based System (PBS) to foster research concentration

- Simplifying project management and evaluation procedures to improve efficiency

- Promoting technology commercialization

- Expanding mid- to long-term international cooperation and global talent attraction

Discussions also covered administrative and evaluative reforms, including:

- Reducing overlapping evaluations across government-funded research institutes

- Improving policies that take into account the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)

- Transitioning R&D expenditure regulations toward a "negative list" approach

Finally, the seminar highlighted the need to reorient R&D policy toward pragmatism and greater contribution to export-driven industries as key directions for national innovation.

Dr. Hwa Yong Ahn currently serves as Senior Research Fellow in the Policy Research Division at the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). He previously held several leadership positions, including Director of Policy Research, Director of Planning and Coordination, and Director-General for International Cooperation at NRF.

Dr. Ahn has served as:

- Visiting Research Fellow, George Washington University (2008)

- Policy Advisor, Daejeon Technopark (2023)

- Visiting Research Fellow, National Policy Research Institute, Chungnam National University (2024)

- Member, Research System Innovation Planning Committee, Ministry of Science and ICT (2017–2018)

- Member, R&D Policy Advisory Committee (2020)

- Expert Member, Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology (2020)

He has received multiple national honors, including commendations from the Minister of Science and Technology (2001), the Minister of Strategy and Finance (2001), and a Presidential Citation (2007) for his contributions to Korea's science and technology policy development.