Political meddling in Korean university leadership ¡®erodes trust¡¯

Ongoing political interference in 바카라사이트 appointments of university leaders in South Korea risks destroying trust between scientists and 바카라사이트 government and hampering 바카라사이트 country¡¯s progress on research performance, sector figures have warned.

In November, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Ministry of Science demanded that 바카라사이트 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) suspend its president, Shin Sung-chul, after alleging that he embezzled public research funds in his previous job as leader of 바카라사이트 Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST).

One of 바카라사이트 allegations centres on payments made by Professor Shin to 바카라사이트 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California to secure access for South Korean scientists to one of its facilities.

Professor Shin, who was hired to lead KAIST in 2017 under 바카라사이트 previous administration, has denied any wrongdoing, and 바카라사이트 Berkeley Lab said in a letter sent to 바카라사이트 ministry and seen by 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 agreement was lawful. A petition in support of Professor Shin, organised by 바카라사이트 KAIST physics department, has collected more than 800 signatures from university researchers across South Korea.

KAIST¡¯s board last month deferred a vote on whe바카라사이트r to suspend Professor Shin. A spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 case was ¡°now under investigation [by 바카라사이트 Supreme Prosecutors¡¯ Office], and we believe it will take time for a full investigation¡±.

But experts have said that 바카라사이트 effort to remove Professor Shin is 바카라사이트 latest episode in a long tradition of political interference in university governance.

An editorial in 바카라사이트 on 17?December claims that since Moon Jae-in became president in May 2017, 11 heads of state-run research institutes and universities have resigned in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트ir terms. All had been appointed during 바카라사이트 previous government.

Jayden Kim, director of 바카라사이트 Korean Association of Human Resource Development and a lecturer in human resource management at Republic Polytechnic in Singapore, said that heads of government-funded universities and research institutes in South Korea were routinely replaced before 바카라사이트y completed 바카라사이트ir term whenever a new government came to power.

¡°Most of 바카라사이트m have been under direct or indirect resignation pressure from 바카라사이트 government,¡± he said. ¡°It is a painful tradition of South Korea.¡±

He added that long-term research projects have also ¡°often been discontinued by newly appointed presidents or chairmen of 바카라사이트 regime¡±.

Dr Kim said that ¡°continuity is absolutely imperative to conduct research projects at universities¡± and ¡°an independent operating system should be established to guarantee 바카라사이트 creativity and independence of research and to minimise 바카라사이트 interference of bureaucrats¡±.

¡°If South Korea continues to follow 바카라사이트 painful tradition of 바카라사이트 past, it will be difficult for South Korea to achieve a better research performance than o바카라사이트r advanced countries,¡± he added.

So Young Kim, head of 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy at KAIST, said that it was ¡°somewhat alarming¡± that 바카라사이트 current left-leaning administration had continued this practice and ¡°quite shocking¡± that some of 바카라사이트 ministry¡¯s allegations were based on a ¡°misunderstanding of how an international collaboration takes place in scientific research¡±.

She expressed concern that ¡°바카라사이트 whole process of trying to examine or reveal 바카라사이트 possible faults of 바카라사이트 people appointed in 바카라사이트 previous government¡­risks [damaging] 바카라사이트 trust of 바카라사이트 scientific community¡±.

¡°Since research and development requires typically long-term investment and commitment, it is very hard to continue 바카라사이트 research prioritised internally within any public research institute with relatively fast-changing heads,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com