RESEARCH FORESIGHT ACTIVITIES AND TECHNOLOGICAL-DEVELOPMENT IN KOREA - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICIES IN NATIONAL RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENTPROGRAMS

This paper reviews the formulation of the science and technology (S&T) policy undertaken by the Korean government for the national R&D progr am. The program, the HAN project, was launched after systematic foresi ght activities were carried out, setting the long-term national goals and priorities, and selecting key technologies to be developed for the next decade. Eleven areas of technology were selected, including five product-oriented technologies and six fundamental technologies, of wh ich indigenous technology capability was recognized as critical for in creased national competitiveness. The foresight procedures of this pla nning include coordination, S&T monitoring, consensus, and commitment stages. Each stage was carefully studied by a special task force, alth ough planning of the program is still being studied in detail for effe ctive implementation. This is a significant turnaround of S&T policy, redirecting the national R&D program from the bottom-up approach to th e top-down approach.