Government Pushes for Establishment of Foundation to Foster Corporate Researchers... 'Boosting National Technological Competitiveness'

The government is taking steps to systematically enhance the capabilities of private researchers affiliated with companies. Following the enactment of a bill to support corporate research institutes, it is now advancing plans to establish a specialized institution dedicated to fostering corporate researchers, aiming to improve professionalism. According to a government ministry, a revised law providing legal basis for funding a non-profit foundation to support corporate researchers was publicly announced. However, the bill is still in the legislative proposal stage, and actual legislation will take time. The corporate research institute system allows companies with in-house R&D facilities to receive tax incentives and government project credits. While previously governed by a separate law, the system was recently strengthened under the new Corporate Research Institute Act, which relaxed mobile research institute installation criteria and recognized master's students participating in national R&D projects as dedicated researchers. The establishment of a corporate researcher development foundation will now enable initiatives to enhance professional training for researchers. The Ministry of Science and ICT has conducted planning research to outline the foundation's operational framework.