Korea's future scientists being put off from blue-sky research due to career uncertainties

불안함의 포기하는 기초과학 학생들

The field of basic science or curiosity-driven research is growing in Korea, but there is still much room for improvement.
Experts say limited funding and lack of job security is putting off a new generation of brilliant and promising minds... those who could become world class scientists.
Kwon Jang-ho files this report.

This is Gyeonggi Science High School and these students are in the midst of a biology experiment.
The school is one of 20 public high schools around the country that specialize in natural sciences for gifted children.

[4:05]
"I've liked math and sciences since I was young. Now, I'm really enjoying biology and chemistry the more I study them. There's so much to learn about the world."

[8:30]
"Every since I was young, I have dreamed about winning a Nobel Prize. It's the biggest prize in science, and it would be an amazing honor."


"Many of these students have dreams of becoming world-famous scientists, and a school like this, with these facilities, can be one of the best places for them to start. But unfortunately, in many cases it doesn't turn out that way."

At the country's four top science high schools, nearly 10-percent of graduates choose to study medicine at university, rather than carry on with natural sciences.
That number is significantly higher with some of the most gifted.
Of those that took part in international science competitions, over 40-percent opt for medical school.

To find out why so many students decide not to carry on with studying basic sciences, I met with some medical students who graduated from science high schools.

[18:20] + [18:36]
"I kept hearing in the news that funding for scientific research in Korea was lacking. I asked around, and the more I looked into it, the more it just seemed it wouldn't be worth as much as the effort that I would have had to put in to it."

[26:39]
"I think a lot of Korean parents think that it's safer to make money as a doctor, and because they want their children to be better off, it's those financial reasons that play a big role."

The government has said it will increase the current funding by 36-percent by 2018, and promised to do more to try and tackle the issue. But scientists argue it isn't all about money.

[2:32]
"The facilities and funding are not bad in Korea, but it's the culture that needs to change. Investors are impatient, always looking for quick and measurable results. The Korean science community is also very closed off in Korea, making it very difficult for young scientists to get into."

If basic science is to flourish in Korea, long-term stability backed by consistent funding is needed to remake it into a viable and secure career, making it easier for more curious young minds to find their way to their dream job of becoming a scientist.
Kwon Jang-ho, Arirang News.

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