The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) held the “2026 STEPI Global Symposium” on May 28 at Samsung Centennial Hall, Korea University. Under the theme “Innovation Responding to Change: Innovation Ecosystems and R&D in the AI Era,” scholars from five countries—the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea—discussed innovation ecosystems and R&D policy directions in the AI era.

In his opening remarks, STEPI President Yoon Ji-woong emphasized that AI is transforming scientific knowledge production, R&D management, and value creation, and stressed the need to redesign the entire innovation ecosystem. Professor Tim Minshall (University of Cambridge) highlighted the development of the Cambridge Innovation Cluster and the importance of strong linkages among key ecosystem actors. Alberto Di Minin (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy) discussed connecting research outcomes to industrial competitiveness through EU policy examples.

President Yoon also analyzed Korea’s innovation ecosystem, identifying challenges such as declining competitiveness and STEM talent shortages, and proposed a shift toward a dynamic, network-based, and inclusive innovation model. In the panel discussion, participants compared innovation cases from Tsukuba, Daedeok, and Cambridge, and emphasized the need for more flexible, citizen- and entrepreneur-centered ecosystems, along with strategies for AI sovereignty and improved governance.

The 2025 Research Institution Evaluation Awards Ceremony was held on May 21 at 2:00 p.m. in the Grand Auditorium on the first floor of the Research Support Building (Building A) at the Sejong National Research Complex. The event was organized by the Council for Economic and Social Research. At the ceremony, two research projects from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy were recognized as outstanding implementation projects.

The awarded projects were “Research on Cooperation Strategies for Multilateral Consultative Bodies to Lead Global Science and Technology Agendas” and “Research on Strategies to Strengthen National Competitiveness Based on Future Outlooks and Technological Innovation.”

The project titled “Research on Cooperation Strategies for Multilateral Consultative Bodies to Lead Global Science and Technology Agendas” was led by Lee Myung-hwa, Director of the Global Strategy Office, with the participation of Associate Research Fellow Seon In-kyung and seven additional researchers. Director Lee Myung-hwa accepted the award on behalf of the team.

The project “Research on Strategies to Strengthen National Competitiveness Based on Future Outlooks and Technological Innovation” was led by Senior Research Fellow Lee Kwang-ho, with Research Fellow Yoon Jeong-seop and seven additional researchers participating. Research Fellow Yoon Jeong-seop accepted the award on behalf of the team.

The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) held a meeting on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss Korea–Sweden cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy, following a visit by Andreas Gottenberg, CEO of the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT).

The visit was organized to share updates on current research and STI policy initiatives at both institutions and to explore potential areas for international research collaboration and policy cooperation. In particular, the participants discussed key areas of cooperation—including mission-oriented innovation, science diplomacy, joint policy research, and multilateral collaboration—with a focus on system innovation and global strategy.

On the same day, Director Gottenberg also met with Yoon Ji-woong, President of the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), to exchange views on recent STI policy developments and future directions for bilateral cooperation.

During the subsequent roundtable discussion, participants exchanged a wide range of ideas on expanding institutional exchanges, including joint seminars and workshops, as well as concrete plans for collaboration in areas such as international research cooperation, joint policy research, and multilateral initiatives.

The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) held the “STEPI Technology Commercialization Policy Co-Lab” at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, at the Maison Glad Jeju Hotel Convention Hall.

Held as a side event of the 2026 Technology Transfer and Commercialization Conference, this event was organized to announce the launch of the “STEPI Technology Commercialization Policy Co-Lab,” a platform for policy collaboration, and to strengthen the foundation for inter-ministerial policy coordination and cooperation.

At the invitation of the EU, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy participated in the “Digital & Green Innovation Forum Asia-Pacific,” held at the Dusit Thani Manila in Manila, Philippines, from Tuesday, April 21 to Friday, April 24, 2026.

Organized by Team Europe (DGI Action) and hosted by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the French Development Agency (AFD), among others, the forum brought together over 100 experts, including policymakers, regulatory agencies, innovative companies, and investors from the Asia-Pacific region. The event featured multifaceted discussions on regulatory innovation and global cooperation strategies for digital and green transitions.

At the forum, Research Fellow Choi Hae-ok (STEPI) participated in a focus group workshop on the topic of “Green Tech Sandboxes and Smart Regulation,” presenting specific policy examples such as the outcomes of Korea’s regulatory sandbox operations and the safety verification system for used batteries.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy (KISTP), in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Council (NST), held the “Forum on Strengthening Regional Science and Technology Innovation Capabilities Centered on Regional Branches of Government-Funded Research Institutes” on Friday, April 17, in Room 301 of Exhibition Hall 2 at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC). 

This forum was organized as part of the official program for the 2026 Korea Science Festival to review the role of regional branches of government-funded research institutes in regional science and technology innovation and to discuss policy directions for contributing to regional innovation.

The forum began with opening remarks by Park Chan-soo, Vice President of the Korea Institute for Science and Technology Policy (KISTP). First, Jeong Byeong-yeop, Director of the Advanced Radiation Research Institute at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), explained the functions of regional R&D hubs and the execution of region-specific R&D under the theme “The Role of Regional Branches of Government-Funded Research Institutes.”

Following this, Lee Hyuk, a Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy (KISTP), emphasized the need for regionally led R&D projects and institutional support through his presentation titled “Measures to Strengthen the Role of Regional Branches of Government-Funded Research Institutes for Contributing to Regional Innovation.”

During the panel discussion, topics such as expanding the workforce and ensuring the scalability of facilities at regional branches of government-funded research institutes, their role in connecting central and regional entities, and the need for R&D support based on regional demand were discussed.

This forum served as an opportunity to strengthen the role of KRI regional organizations as hubs connecting local industries with research outcomes and to explore policy directions for enhancing regional science and technology innovation capabilities.

STEPI held its 469th Science and Technology Policy Forum on April 9 under the theme “AI Ethics: A Navigator on the Arduous Journey of Innovation.” The forum emphasized the need to move beyond abstract ethical principles toward practical implementation following the enforcement of Korea’s AI Framework Act. Speakers highlighted that AI ethics should be viewed not as a constraint, but as an institutional foundation for sustainable innovation. Key discussions focused on embedding ethical values—such as fairness, safety, and accountability—throughout the entire AI lifecycle, strengthening international cooperation, and designing sector-specific governance frameworks. Overall, the forum stressed that bridging the gap between ethical principles and real-world application is now a critical policy challenge.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy held an appointment ceremony for Choi Byung-sam, Head of the Planning and Management Division, on Monday, April 6, in the Medium Conference Room on the 5th floor of the institute. The ceremony was held in accordance with personnel appointments effective April 1 and was attended by key officials from the institute.

As Head of the Planning and Management Division, Choi Byung-sam will oversee the institute’s planning and management operations and play a key role in its operation and development.

On Friday, April 3, the Korea Institute for Science and Technology Policy (KISTP) held a seminar titled “The Advent of the Physical AI Era and Legal Responses” in the Moot Court Room of the Law Building at Dongguk University, in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Criminal and Legal Policy and other organizations. This seminar was organized to examine the legal issues arising from the evolution of artificial intelligence into “Physical AI”—where AI is integrated with physical systems such as robots and autonomous vehicles—and to discuss response strategies in the fields of public law, criminal law, and civil law.

During the event, Yoon Ji-woong, President of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy, delivered a keynote speech titled “Exploring the Relationship Between Humans and Robots in the Era of Physical AI: Focusing on the Division of Labor in Innovative Work.” He explained the shifting roles between humans and robots and the structure of the division of labor in innovative work against the backdrop of the Physical AI era, highlighting the trend of artificial intelligence expanding into the physical world. Following the keynote address, the first session, “Physical AI and the Public Law Regulatory Framework,” highlighted the mismatch between technological advancements and the legal system, as well as the structural decline in regulatory predictability resulting from increasingly conservative legal interpretations.

In the second session, “Physical AI and Criminal Justice Response Strategies,” directions for criminal justice responses were proposed, focusing on accidents and liability issues that may arise in a Physical AI environment. Finally, in the third session, “Physical AI and Civil Liability Norms,” discussions were held on civil liability issues related to software defects and consumer protection. Subsequently, a comprehensive panel discussion was held among experts from various fields, focusing on key legal issues arising from the proliferation of Physical AI.

The Korea Institute for Science and Technology Policy (KISTP) held the “Seminar on Scaling Up Outcomes Through Generative AI” on Wednesday, April 1, in the 5th-floor conference room. This seminar was organized to drive innovation in scaling-up operations and strengthen practical capabilities through the use of generative AI technology, and was conducted in a hybrid format combining in-person and online participation.

The seminar featured practical, hands-on lectures covering the basic principles of generative AI, text-based dissemination strategies, and methods for producing video content using AI. In particular, content immediately applicable to real-world tasks—such as press release writing, newsletter optimization, prompt design, and video production workflows—was shared. The sessions were led by Kim Jong-rip, Team Leader of the Performance Dissemination Team, and Researcher Hwang Jeong-jae. For attendees, the event served as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the evolving approaches to performance dissemination enabled by generative AI and its potential applications.