Researchers found guilty of scientific misconduct will face expulsion from their research positions under new policies. The measures include a ban on participating in national research and development activities for up to 20 years and significantly increased fines, which can be raised to 30 times the amount of government funding received.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on September 8 that the amendments to the National Research and Development Innovation Act were reviewed and approved at a Cabinet meeting. The revised law is set to take effect in March 2027.
The amendments aim to enhance researchers' autonomy and innovation while strengthening accountability for misconduct.
Specifically, the penalties for research misconduct will be significantly increased. The current participation ban of 10 years will be extended to 20 years, and the fines for misconduct will rise from five times to 30 times the amount of government-funded research and development expenses already received.
Severe misconduct, such as misappropriating student labor costs or misusing research funds, could result in fines of up to 30 times the government support received.
The amendments also establish a legal basis for referring cases of misconduct to investigative agencies. If the head of a central administrative agency believes there is sufficient reason to suspect criminal activity related to research misconduct, they can formally request an investigation.
Additionally, the evaluation system for research projects will be completely overhauled to encourage innovative research. The criteria for project selection will be revised to prioritize the 'innovation of research objectives.'
The current results-based evaluation will be abolished. Instead, qualitative assessments will be implemented during interim and final evaluations to verify the excellence of outcomes and the innovative research processes. This change aims to identify outstanding projects and provide appropriate incentives.
Notably, projects that may not achieve innovative goals but generate significant knowledge through trial and error will also be recognized as 'excellent challenging projects' and can lead to follow-up research.
Furthermore, penalties for projects with extremely poor results will be reduced. Sanctions will now only apply in cases of serious misconduct, such as violations of laws, failure to meet contractual obligations, or research misconduct, addressing concerns that researchers could be penalized simply for not meeting expectations.
Park In-kyu, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau, stated, "This legal amendment follows the establishment of research innovation funds, the transition to negative indirect costs, and the simplification of research and development forms in June, aimed at enhancing researchers' autonomy while imposing appropriate responsibilities for serious misconduct."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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