▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from L) arrives at a meeting with young Korean scientists and researchers working in the San Francisco area at a hotel in the city on Nov. 15, 2023. (Yonhap)

Yoon-Korean scientists

Yoon vows to further nurture Korean researchers in U.S.

By Lee Haye-ah

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Wednesday to further nurture young Korean scientists and researchers in the United States and other countries to help them become leading experts in the world.

Yoon made the pledge during a meeting with a group of around 100 Korean entrepreneurs, researchers, developers, students and interns working in the San Francisco area, hours after arriving in the city to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

"Our government is changing our country's R&D policies so that our future-generation researchers can take on innovative research that aims for the world's best without worrying about failure," he said during the meeting at a hotel.

"In particular, we're greatly expanding opportunities for global research cooperation with the world's top researchers and removing restrictions that banned overseas researchers from participating in R&D conducted by the Republic of Korea government," he added, referring to South Korea by its formal name.

Yoon appeared to be defending the large cut his government made in the R&D portion of its 2024 budget proposal by suggesting it was a restructuring aimed at better supporting young researchers.

"By doing so, we will support future-generation Korean researchers working everywhere in the world, including here in San Francisco, regardless of nationality, so they can grow into world-class researchers," he said.

Yoon also vowed to better support South Korean startups entering overseas markets by establishing a government portal where they can easily access information on the various assistance offered by 13 different organizations in San Francisco.

The president has held similar meetings on his previous overseas trips, including in New York, Vietnam and Indonesia, to demonstrate his commitment to supporting innovations and challenges by future generations.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]