• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.2 no.1 s.3
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• pp.85-105
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• 2002

This is to review the nature of Korean science and technology policy based on the concept of policy ideas. According to the institutional theory, policy ideas are composed of the beliefs on both principle and causal relations concerning policy behaviors. Policy ideas influence science and technology policy considerably because they are embodied by policy-makers and embedded in government institutions such as decision-making rules and procedures. Recently, promoting industrial competitiveness is a leading policy idea in Korea's science and technology policy. It means that the science and technology policy is influenced mainly by economic interests rather than by civic interests. Though the economic value of science and technology may not easily underestimated, the negative external effects such as environmental degradation and technological risks should not be neglected. Therefore, in developing science and technology policy, much efforts should be made to consider both the policy idea of industrial competitiveness and the new one of quality of life in a balanced way. It means that civil society should be allowed to have more access to policy process in the area of science and technology than before.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.96-112
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• 2013

The need for designing and implementing integrated policy was further emphasized in tandem with the increase in interest concerning policy coordination and interactions. An active discussion is taking place in the field of innovation policy concerning "integrated innovation policy," which considers innovation along with financial, regional development, social, and environmental policies together in a holistic manner. In Korea since the beginning of the 2000s, there were many attempts at implementing integrated innovation policy through the restructuring of the overall S&T administration system. For the purposes of taking an integrated approach to S&T policies as well as to S&T-related human resources, industrial, and regional development policies, the Roh Administration (February 2003~February 2008) elevated the S&T Minister to the level of Deputy Prime Minister as well as launching the Office of Science, Technology, and Innovation (OSTI) (October 2004 ~ February 2008) under the Ministry of Science and Technology. This study investigates the policy coordination activities of the OSTI from the perspective of policy integration. It deals with the background of the OSTI, its roles and responsibilities, the coordination process, and its achievements and limitations while discussing the important implications for developing effective policy measures with the hope of contributing to the development of theories of integrated innovation policy.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2010

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.111-137
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• 2017

This study analyzes a language network of Science and Technology Basic Plan, which is the basis for science and technology policy in Korea, for the next Science and Technology Basic Plan. Language network analysis was adopted for a quantitative approach measuring the trend of policies. Several techniques such as keyword analysis, language network map analysis, quantitative characteristics analysis and keyword-related major-word analysis have been performed. Results show that there are common policies emphasized by all Science and Technology Basic Plans in the past, and there are also specific policies emphasized in each period of the Science and Technology Basic Plan. These specific policies come from a 'change of times' when the Science and Technology Basic Plans were established, as well as the philosophy of the national government.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2016

Technology supply has been the main thrust of the Korean government's science & technology policy, focusing on the development and acquisition of new technology in line with the catching-up strategy of economic growth and industrial development. However, new social or societal problems have become major government policy issues, heralding new innovation policy aimed to address them. Such new policy initiatives for social problem-solving present a niche where the existing system of government innovation policy process is challenged, including such processes as goal-setting, planning, implementation, project management, and evaluation. The rigidity of the existing institution of government innovation policy, however, still shapes the content and progression of innovation policy for social problem-solving. This study reviews Korean innovation policy for social problem-solving as a policy niche, and aims to clarify its challenges and opportunities. It uses a system transition framework to explain the emergence and evolution of the innovation policy niche in Korea. The main research question is to what extent and in what aspect the existing innovation policy regime shaped innovation policy for social problem-solving. The study examines the inertia of the current paradigm of innovation policies and R&D programs, and sheds light on the search for a distinctive identity for innovation policies that tackles social problems.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.125-140
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• 2000

The paper studies on the cooperation between the humanities & social sciences and natural science & technology in 1990's. The article showed policy alternatives about the crisis of humanities & social sciences. That was science wars and we heard that was announced by Sokal affair. In this article, the author inquired into the Korean research policy's crisis and presented the policy alternatives about the crisis of humanities & social sciences and natural science & technology in various ways. In the concrete, the policy alternatives are cultural critique of technology and science and science & development of domain about interdisciplinary studies at the humanities & social science and natural science & technology. In conclusion, First, the author showed the appraisal and institutionalization of interdisciplinary studies. Second, the researcher proposed few policy alternatives and developmental area of interdisciplinary studies between the humanities & social sciences and natural science & technology.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.145-163
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• 2020

The COVID-19 is a pandemic that affects all facets of our life and will change many patterns in science technology and innovation. A qualitative study was conducted using Focus Group Interview involving ten industry-academia-research experts with the objective of identifying changes in Korea's national innovation system and science & technology policy after the COVID-19. Eight questions were designed, based on the major components of the national innovation system, such as companies, universities, and research institutes, to discuss the changes in the national innovation system and science & technology policy. Also, keyword analysis and cluster analysis were performed using the network analysis program VOSviewer. It is predicted that, in the wake of the COVID-19, Korea's national innovation system will shift to a new paradigm that is more decentralized, responsive, and autonomous. Furthermore, several policy agendas that can turn these changes into positive momentum of change in science & technology policy are presented.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.001-026
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• 2023

This paper dealt with the Korean manpower policy in science and technology, focusing on the contents and tools of the Special Act and its Master Plans. After briefly introducing the historical development of the Korean manpower policy from the 1960s to the present, it discussed and analyzed the Special Act and Plans from the framework of personnel development, distribution, utilization and infrastructure. Korea's science and technology manpower policy has focused on fostering and supplying manpower in line with the country's industrial growth strategy. In the early stage of industrial development during the 1960s and 1980s, government research institutes were direct and effective tools for nurturing S&T manpower. Since the 1990s, the importance of university research has increased. The government fostered graduate research manpower through the research-oriented university policy of the BK21 program. After the IMF financial crisis in 1997, the tendency of students to avoid careers in science and technology led to enacting the Special Act (2004) governing the field of S&T human resources. The Special Act has contributed to leveling up the university education system in science and engineering and sophisticated the policy to include entrepreneurship training, spin-off startups, industry-university cooperation, and offering degree programs. The Special Act and the regularly revised Master Plans have been essential tools in systematically managing the science and technology manpower policies of the Korean government.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.3 no.1 s.5
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• pp.105-156
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• 2003

This paper aims to explore the cause and aspect of inter-ministerial policy conflict and its coordination in science and technology policy-making with the case of science and technology basic law-making process in Korea. This law-making processes are analysed through the three periods for the last 10 years starting 1992, such as law-formulation(1st) period, interim law-making (2nd) period, and final law-making(3rd) period. Based on these steps, it tries to concretely describe the phenomenon of policy conflict and the coordination mechanism among government departments and analyses the characteristics of dynamic interaction and mutual adjustment among the related agencies. The analysis is mainly focussed on the underlying causes and determinants of policy conflict, the development and coordination process of the conflict, the strategies and logics of the conflict participants, and eliciting some policy implications for effective policy coordination among government departments. Research results are summarized as follows. First, in science and technology policy-making the main causes of policy conflict among government departments are attributed to the difference of policy-orientation and jurisdiction-orientation of each agency. During the first period, the main aspect of policy conflict was policy-oriented, during the second, the main aspects of policy conflict were both policy-oriented and jurisdiction-oriented, and during the third, policy-oriented conflict was dominant. Second, the dominant typology and strategies of policy coordination which the participants used were vertical-political and horizontal-analytic approach. During the first period, horizontal and analytical approach were used, during the second, horizontal and political approach are mixedly used, and during the third, vertical and political approach were dominantly used. Third, The Korean National Assembly and the ruling party played a pivotal role in science and technology policy-making process(the basic law-making process) in particular during the final period.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.2 no.1 s.3
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• pp.157-189
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• 2002

Science and technology policy a lot of implicit usjustified assumptions. These assumption without being reflected may cause various social problems. In this paper, lit is shown that philosophy of science could make contribution to resolving these problems. In epistemological viewpoints, theory of science and technology policy has been analyzed. I argue that social kinds, social entities appeared in social science should be interpreted realisticaly. Realizing this realistic interpretation of social kinds, as one field of social sciences, theory of science and technology policy can deal with the causal relation among social entities and the causal influence of science and technology policy more objectively- scientific knowledge has two components. One belongs to coded knowledge and the other belong to tacit knowledge which cannot be coded. I analyze the content and characters of tacit knowledge appeling to Michael Polany. One of the important function of science and technology policy is to make tacit knowledge more fruitful. I argue that philosophy of science fit well this function. Finally I claim that philosophy of science can help science and technology policy to reduce the ethical problems caused by science and technology.