Korea’s lack of a Nobel Prize in science is explained by its neglect of basic science, lack of research support, and inadequate research environment. We will present the problems of Korea’s basic science and the need for improvement through a comparison with Japan.
On October 4, 2023, the Nobel Prize winners were announced in Sweden. Contrary to expectations, there were no Korean Nobel laureates. This reality, which is repeated every year, has become familiar as a foreign celebration, but it also creates a sense of helplessness and anxiety. There have been repeated calls for continued investment and support for basic science in Korea, with the goal of winning a Nobel Prize, but this has yet to be realized. When will South Korea receive the Nobel Prize in Science? Comparisons with neighboring Japan are bound to sting, but Japan has already produced its 25th Nobel Prize winner. Therefore, I would like to reflect on the current status, problems, and solutions of Korean basic science through a comparison with Japan, a similar but different country in Asia.
The Nobel Prize in Science has three prizes in the natural sciences: Physiology, Physics, and Chemistry. However, Korea has paid more attention to applied sciences and social sciences than natural sciences. Applied science refers to science that aims to apply to human life, such as engineering, agriculture, and medicine, while social science refers to empirical science that scientifically and systematically studies various phenomena in human society, such as sociology, political science, and law. In Korea, there is still a strong perception that applied and social sciences are more favorable than natural sciences when it comes to employment and success. This perception is a factor that makes people shy away from natural sciences, and this trend is actually reflected in the numbers. Of course, Japan is no different from South Korea in that medical and law schools are the preferred majors for students who do well in school. This is not likely to change anytime soon. However, it is difficult to explain the disparity in the number of Nobel Prize winners between Japan and South Korea based on mere field preference. What other factors are driving this difference?
First, there is the difference in investment in basic science. Even if Japan tends to favor similar fields to South Korea, there is a difference in the amount of R&D investment between the two countries. As of 2023, Japan invested $31 billion and South Korea invested $23.5 billion. While South Korea has significantly increased its R&D investment compared to the past, there is still a disparity in the amount of investment due to the difference in economic power between the two countries. A bigger issue is how these investments are allocated. Japan’s two top universities, the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, receive 50% of the funding for all universities in the country. Tokyo Institute of Technology, Osaka University, and Nagoya University then share the rest of the funding, with 90% of the national budget concentrated in the top 10 universities. Thanks to this concentrated support, Japan’s top universities consistently produce world-class research. In South Korea, on the other hand, the budget is distributed among a large number of universities, including several national universities, making it difficult to fully support a particular university.
Another difference can be found in the laboratory system. In Japan, science and engineering students earn graduation credits through their third year, and then when they enter their fourth year, they are assigned to a research lab where they spend a year immersed in research. Through this process, students choose their own research topics and gain in-depth academic experience while conducting actual research. The accumulated research data contributes to the efficiency of research in master’s and doctoral programs. In Korea, on the other hand, students choose their research labs after they enter graduate school, which can be a huge waste of time if the research topic is not the right one. In addition, Korean university students are often torn between finding a job and choosing a lab in their fourth year, and often do not have a clear direction for their research.
The military is also a major obstacle to the development of basic science in South Korea. All adult Korean males are required to fulfill their national defense obligations, and this often results in interruptions to their studies during university due to military service. At the master’s and doctoral level, there are opportunities to continue research through the research scholarship program, but these opportunities are limited. Even when military service is allowed to be combined with research, there is often not enough time for research.
In order to address these issues, it is imperative to change the social climate that downplays basic science. Investments must be increased and long-term support must be guaranteed so that research can be stabilized. In particular, the government’s administrative system needs to be reorganized to make science departments independent and provide more intensive management and support for science. Budget allocations should also be reorganized to fully support key areas such as basic science, which will be responsible for the country’s future. The laboratory system at universities should also be improved so that students can be more immersed in research. If these changes are made, the day will come when Koreans will be able to look at the Nobel Prize in science with pride instead of envy and regret.
