South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said a bill to enact the Act on Promoting Region-Led Science and Technology Innovation passed the National Assembly’s plenary session on the 23rd. The measure is intended to institutionalize a region-centered science and technology policy framework and to decentralize research and development authority and funding to local governments to strengthen regional innovation capacity.
Key provisions include building region-led governance and dedicated agencies; promoting block-funding-style, region-directed R&D and wider-area, multi-province projects; developing innovation actors to boost local research capability; and expanding investment and support for regional science and technology.
Under the law, mayors and governors of cities and provinces will draw up five-year regional science and technology innovation plans, and the central government will provide administrative and financial support. Major policies will be reviewed through regional science and technology advisory councils under the mayors and governors. The law also creates a basis to designate and establish dedicated agencies by region after consultation with the ministry.
The legislation introduces an R&D system aimed at greater local autonomy. The government will designate certain national R&D programs as regional R&D projects, considering their links to regional policy, and will operate them under an evaluation system tailored to that purpose. Cities and provinces will be able to pursue not only their own R&D projects but also wider-area projects in cooperation with neighboring local governments.
Support to strengthen regional research capacity will be expanded, including fostering local public research institutes, designating hub research institutions, and establishing a basis to support regional universities and corporate research labs. The government will also promote the revitalization of science and technology clusters such as R&D special zones and cooperation among clusters.
The law includes measures to encourage voluntary investment by local governments. Mayors and governors may set and announce regional R&D investment targets based on their fiscal conditions, and the government plans to provide administrative and financial support to local governments with strong performance in meeting targets or delivering results.
The bill is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, after Cabinet approval and promulgation. The government said it will support implementation through follow-up steps, including drafting an enforcement decree.
Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said the law will allow local governments to set the direction of R&D investment with greater autonomy. He said the government will communicate closely with local governments and stakeholders while preparing subordinate regulations and related measures, so regions can foster strategic industries over the long term and drive innovation on their own, he said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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