[Lee Byung-jong] Time for Korea's brain gain

Korea Herald

3 days ago

There was a time when South Korean scientists and engineers left their country in droves, seeking better research environments and more rewarding careers abroad —especially in the United States. For decades, this outflow of talent, often referred to as brain drain, was seen as a symptom of Korea's limited scientific infrastructure and rigid institutional culture. But today, the situation is changing. South Korea has emerged as a serious player in research and development, and its universities and companies are becoming increasingly competitive. Now, many of those once-lost talents are coming home — and more could follow.
This trend could accelerate in light of policy shifts in the United States. The Trump administration has cut research funding and accused academic institutions of being "liberal strongholds,' pushing many scholars to consider opportunities abroad. As a result, countries around the world have begun courting scientists and academics disillusioned with the American system, offering them better support, autonomy and respect for their work.
Canada, for example, has positioned itself as a haven for displaced US-based academics, offering generous funding and robust institutional support. The University of Toronto has successfully recruited several leading researchers from American universities in recent years. Similar efforts are underway in Europe. Aix-Marseille University in France recently offered 15 positions specifically aimed at US-based scholars. Across the continent, institutions in the UK, Germany and elsewhere are actively attracting American talent, especially as diplomatic and trade tensions with the US continue to rise.
China is another key player in this new global race for talent. Armed with extensive government funding, a vast research infrastructure, and a clear national strategy, China has been aggressively courting global experts. Many China-born scientists and engineers, educated and employed in the US, are returning home, driven partly by growing anti-China sentiment in the US. However, China's ambitions face a critical limitation: a lack of academic freedom. For many international scholars, concerns about censorship and political interference make China a less appealing destination. Hong Kong once offered an alternative, but increasing control from Beijing has narrowed that window as well.
In this global context, South Korea stands out as a country with both the motivation and the means to benefit from the US brain drain. Although it is still an emerging power in basic sciences, Korea has made impressive strides. Its universities may not yet be counted among the global elite, but their quality has improved dramatically. World-class research institutions like KAIST, Postech and the Institute for Basic Science are helping close the gap.
Historically, most researchers returning to Korea have been Korean nationals who studied or worked abroad. Foreign scholars remain a rarity in Korean academia, largely due to systemic challenges: relatively low compensation, a rigid academic culture, hierarchical management in companies and significant language barriers. Many universities and research institutions still prioritize Korean-language communication and maintain promotion systems that can be opaque or overly rigid, discouraging interdisciplinary and creative work.
Despite these challenges, Korea has the potential to become a global R&D hub. It invests over 4 percent of its gross domestic product in R&D — among the highest rates in the world — and the government has long recognized science and technology as essential to national development. Major conglomerates such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai, LG and Posco pour enormous sums into their research centers and also support affiliated institutions like Postech. The government-run Institute for Basic Science, launched in 2011, collaborates with these players in key fields including biotechnology, AI, semiconductors, physics, robotics and battery research.
These investments are already producing results. The IBS has recruited world-class talent such as Kim Ki-moon, an expert in supramolecular chemistry, and Noh Do-young, a leader in advanced X-ray science — both of whom returned from prestigious US laboratories. At KAIST, Cho Kwang-hyun, a systems biology expert trained in the US, is leading cutting-edge research. Foreign talent, while still rare, is also starting to arrive. One standout is Rodney S. Ruoff, an American chemist renowned for his work in carbon materials, who joined IBS to lead nanomaterials research. He praised IBS for offering 'unprecedented freedom' compared to US institutions.
Institutions across Korea are making efforts to attract more of this kind of talent. The Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, for example, is actively recruiting global doctoral-level researchers in AI as part of a joint initiative with the Ministry of Science and ICT. Its postdoctoral fellowship program offers highly attractive compensation — up to 90 million won ($ 64,700) annually — along with research funding and opportunities for industry collaboration. These moves are designed not only to build domestic expertise but also to internationalize Korea's research environment.
Ultimately, all these efforts toward brain gain aim to strengthen Korea's global standing in R&D, which still lags behind its industrial and manufacturing dominance. While Samsung and other Korean brands are global market leaders, their long-term success depends on innovation rooted in foundational science and technology.
However, one major domestic challenge remains: attracting young Korean talent to scientific fields. An increasing number of top students are opting for medical school over careers in engineering or science, seeking greater job stability and social prestige. For a country still waiting for its first Nobel Prize in science (it has only won in peace and literature), this trend is troubling. Yet, the momentum behind Korea's brain gain strategy may help reverse this. By showcasing world-class research, international partnerships, and success stories of returnees and foreign scholars, Korea can inspire the next generation of homegrown scientists — and attract the best minds from around the world.