By Jon Lee 

Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang and Minister for Trade Dukgeun Ahn met with the House Committee on Ways and Means, led by Congressman Jason Smith, on July 31 in Seoul to discuss the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), CHIPS and Science Act, energy cooperation and other Korea-U.S. industrial and trade issues.

Meanwhile, Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy Vice Minister Jang Young-jin held a briefing session on Korea-U.S. industrial technology R&D on August 1 (local time) in San Francisco and conveyed the Korean government’s stance on international cooperation in advanced technologies, then discussed practical measures for Korea-U.S. technology collaboration.

Over 130 researchers attended in person or online and showed interest in Korea’s public-led invigoration of international joint R&D projects.

The Vice Minister explained during the session that outstanding international joint R&D projects will be given top priority and that overseas R&D institutions in charge of the said projects will be automatically eligible for project participation. He also relayed the Korean government’s plans to eradicate discrimination between Korean and overseas researchers, as well as other efforts to globalize industrial technology R&D, and gathered opinions from foreign researchers.

Foreign researchers expressed agreement on the Korean government’s aims to stimulate international joint R&D projects, proposed prospective projects and inquired about collaboration measures with Korean firms. Accordingly, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) intends to begin uncovering R&D project demand among domestic firms and overseas researchers, and launch joint Korea-U.S. R&D projects beginning early next year.

Vice Minister Jang stated that “amid the rapidly realignment of the global value chain among value-sharing allies, it is essential to pursue solidarity and cooperation between Korean and overseas researchers in order to increase R&D achievements and fairness in advanced technology when it comes to tackling climate change and other issues unsolvable by a single country alone,” and called for active participation from Korean and U.S. researchers.