Transparent Government's R&D Management

Hwang Chang-gyu, head of the R&D Office, said that their goal is not the top of diverse high-techs in the world, but the uniqueness different from the existing technologies. He stressed that their way is not to accept the requirements of the present industrial circles, instead, we will select and concentrate on some unique industries needed for the future.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy in charge of the R&D Office had already announced five fields for the R&D: current major industires (automobile, ship-building, steel, aerocraft, mechanics, chemistry, textile); information-communication industries; converged new industries (bio-tech, total health care); parts and material industries; energy industreis.

Until now, state-backed R&D has been loose, and even part of research money leaked into doubtful projects. So far, it has been prevalent in the scene that "the government’s R&D budgets are free under no owners so that whoever do not ‘eat’ the budgets are idiots." In small countries like Korea, state-backed money is important, but how to spend the money is more and more important than anything. In case huge money invest on worthless or unnecessary projects, the money could be poisonous on the eco-system and balanced development of the whole industries.

The R&D Office chose five regular managing directors on later May, who are responsible for deliberating and determining candidates for the aid. But the lineup of the office seems to be too big company-slated, especially Samsung. Mr. Hwang, head of the office, and Yoon Jong-yong, adviser of the office, are former CEOs of Samsung Electronics Company. Two standing managing directors are each fomer CEOs of Hyndai Autonet and SK Broadband.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy did not contain environmental industry in the state-backed R&D lists. It might be a big mistake. The environmental industry should become as fundamental, huge and prosperous as today’s gas and oil energy. (The end)

Going Back To Farming

The night course for farming education is crowding with baby-boomers living in Seoul. The baby-boomers born just after the truce (1953) of the Korean War have begun to retire from full-time working lives about last year.

The course for purpose of going back to farming in rural regions was organized by the Rural Development Administration. The last fifth course was fully enrolled early only five days after its public notice. As originally the fixed number of trainees was 60, the number was forced to be 80 because of too many applicants. Therefore, the next sixth course is already completely filled with the remaining applicants.

Seeing the trainees, the fifties of age are 40 persons, half the fixed number, forties 21, below thirties 13, over sixties 6.

The National Agricultural Cooperative also opened the night farming course for city office workers in Seoul and Geonggi Province. The distinctive featue of its first selection was similar with the one of the Rural Development Administration’s course.

This phenomenon of going-back-to-farming does not seem to represent a temperary passion. In today’s economy, it has been long that mega-cities did not offer jobs. As the young and middle agers still have fantasy about city’s luxurious lives, not a little of clever and brave retirees are starting to ride the train going forward to green valleys. (The end)