S. Korea to boost science and technology as engines for growth

SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea vowed Friday to increase its number of scientists and engineers and strengthen the quality of math and science education as it unveiled a blueprint that could set the tone for the development of science and technology.

The government said it aims to improve its ranking in the category of availability of scientists and engineers to 20th by 2040 from 39th in the Global Competitiveness Report 2016-27 released by the World Economic Forum.

The plan was endorsed by the National Science and Technology Council earlier in the day.

The government also said it is pushing to ensure that 40 South Korean scientists will make it on the coveted list of Thomson Reuters' "World's Most Influential Scientific Minds" by 2020 from 28 in 2017.

The government said it will foster sustained innovation in a break with the country's decades-old practice of pursuing short-term outcomes.

Yoo Young-min, minister of science and ICT, said that the government will monitor progress in achieving its goals on a yearly basis.

South Korea said it will push to increase the number of its universities listed among the world's top 100 universities to 10 by 2040 from four in 2017.

Asia's fourth-largest economy has been racing to boost science and technology, seeing them as key engines for growth going forward.

The blueprint also called for South Korea to raise its ranking in quality of math and science education to 15th place in the Global Competitiveness Report by 2040 from 36th place in 2016.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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