Seoul: One in 10 lead researchers involved in state-funded research and development (R and D) projects lost their projects in 2024 amid sweeping budget cuts under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, government data showed Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Science and ICT reported that the total number of lead researchers in government-funded R and D projects stood at 41,902 in 2024, marking a decrease of 11.2 percent from the previous year. This decline is attributed to a reduction in government R and D spending, which totaled 26.2 trillion won (US$18.9 billion) in 2024, down 9.6 percent from the year prior. Simultaneously, the number of projects decreased by 13 percent to 60,696.

The ministry further highlighted that the total number of participating researchers also fell, with a 10.8 percent decrease on-year to 276,215 in 2024. This downturn signifies a substantial reduction in the number of government R and D projects due to budget constraints and a strategic pivot toward larger-scale projects, which inadvertently limited opportunities for smaller projects.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that it is currently operating a task force to review the R and D budget cuts and assess their impact. This review includes evaluating changes in the number and size of reduced projects as well as the number of affected researchers.