South Korean analysis establishments are ramping up efforts to recruit U.S.-based scientists, as deep funding cuts and coverage shifts in Washington threaten to set off a large-scale brain drain.
The expertise push was a key undercurrent on the 2025 U.S.–Korea Conference on Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship (UKC), held final week on the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.
While the annual occasion serves as a networking hub for main researchers from each international locations, this yr’s discussions carried a extra somber tone, reflecting shared issues over the way forward for science coverage.
At a joint science and expertise coverage workshop hosted by Korea’s Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), the Korea Foundation for Science and Creativity (KOSAC), the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and Georgia Tech, individuals exchanged views on budgetary challenges and the necessity for resilient science coverage.
Cassidy Sugimoto, chair of Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy, warned that almost all students count on the U.S. science funds to drop by greater than 50 p.c subsequent yr.
“From an investment standpoint, it’s reasonable to say the U.S. will cede scientific leadership to China by year’s end,” she mentioned.
Sugimoto argued that anti-science and anti-immigration insurance policies, together with steep cuts, particularly in worldwide cooperation, might isolate U.S. analysis and speed up the exodus of expertise.
Survey information from Nature suggests the chance is actual, with 75 p.c of U.S. scientists saying they’ve thought-about leaving the nation over Trump-era coverage shifts.
Beyond coverage talks, Korean establishments used the convention to deepen partnerships with U.S. counterparts.
Ajou University opened cooperation channels with Emory University, discussing college exchanges, joint analysis, and potential abroad analysis facilities. Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) launched a nationwide U.S. recruitment tour concentrating on physician-scientists and main specialists in a number of fields.
“We’re looking for outstanding talent without any numerical limits,” mentioned Bae Sung-chul, UNIST vp for tutorial affairs.
By Ko Jae-won and Minu Kim
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