SEOUL, KOREA — “National R&D is investment in the future. We will develop the insight to view the big picture and discover innovative strategies, while growing based on active communication within the organization.”
Lee Gi-seop, the newly-appointed president of Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), held a press conference on the 14th at Gwacheon Government Complex where he explained his plans for the operation of the institution. Mr. Lee took office as the president of KEIT on the 7th after completing his term as the president of Korea Automotive Technology Institute. He made it clear that KEIT will work on an equal footing as the industries. “By simplifying regulations and procedures, and expanding autonomy, we will earn trust from researchers,” Mr. Lee declared. “Even failed R&D projects will be embraced as an asset and included in planning for other projects, as we work towards making the innovation track system more specific. In addition, the program director (PD) system will be further expanded to improve evaluation.”
Mr. Lee emphasized the institute’s plan to focus on stabilizing internal management based on the harmony achieved throughout the last three years since the integration of various organizations. He added that there will be an increased level investment in education to foster human resources within KEIT to establish a reasonable management system.
“We will promote lively and healthy labor-management relationships based upon the concept of co-existence, and place a greater emphasis on establishing efficient R&D systems that accommodates the industries’ demands and requests with transparency and expertise.”
KEIT is a vital institution that is responsible for KRW 2.08 trillion of the KRW 4.7 trillion annual R&D budget from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Recently, KEIT announced a three-stage R&D innovation plan designed to support creative research by simplifying the procedure and lowering the threshold.
