South Korea's 2027 R&D budget to prioritize carbon neutrality and corporate commercialization, says science ministry

South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT is shaping its 2027 R&D budget with input from industry leaders. Park In-kyu, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Office, chaired a steering committee meeting with the private-sector R&D consultative council, which includes about 200 companies across fields like carbon neutrality and carbon-free energy, future mobility, and advanced bio. The ministry plans to expand investment in corporate support and commercialization, and introduce investment-type R&D to strengthen public-private partnerships. The council operates 11 subcommittees across six fields, with carbon neutrality and carbon-free energy as a key area. The meeting also covered manufacturing AI transformation and other industry priorities. Park said the government would reflect industrial changes and demand in R&D investment, but specific budget allocations for carbon-free energy were not disclosed. More details are expected as the 2027 budget proposal is finalized.