[10th anniversary of the foundation of the Senior Science and Technology Association]
Korean researchers are growing old quick.
More than 10 years sooner than different nations.
If many generations of researchers work collectively,
We can create synergy…Let’s make a collaboration alternative
![Participants are cutting rice cake to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Korea Senior Science and Technology Association held at the Advanced Institute of Science on the 25th. From left, Koo Hyuk-chae, the first vice minister of science and technology information and communication, Park Sung-hyun, chairman of the Senior Council, Lee Chung-hee, honorary chairman of the Senior Council, Cho Wan-kyu, senior consultant, Hwang Jung-ah, member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Hyun-gu, senior consultant. [Picture = Advanced Institute of Science]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202603/25/news-p.v1.20260325.92b3ab5850a844e491dcca9d8ebc974f_P1.jpg)
(*30*) 사진 확대 “Sixty these days is youth. Moreover, scientists who have studied only one field for 30 to 40 years are at their best. They are already clamoring for a lack of scientific talent, and if they make us a ‘researcher reserve’ and give us a chance, we will be able to win the global hegemonic war.”
The Korea Senior Science and Technology Association (Senior Science and Technology Association), which celebrated its tenth anniversary, proposed to take into account methods to make the most of high-experience retired scientists collectively. As we enter the super-aging period, the variety of retired scientists is growing quickly, and the logic is that utilizing them will drastically assist enhance nationwide competitiveness.
“If the government truly values science and technology, an institutional foundation for retired high-experience science and technology should be established,” Park Sung-hyun, chairman of the Senior Science Association (SNU honorary professor), stated on the “10th Anniversary Symposium” held on the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology on the twenty fifth.
Korean researchers retire quicker than main overseas nations. The retirement age of professors in Korea is 65, and the solid is 61. People who can examine actively for greater than 20 years have to give up all present analysis. Senior and cooperative declare that this leads to a lack of nationwide scientific competitiveness. Chairman Park stated, “It takes 30 to 40 years to cultivate a single scientist, and it is a great national loss not to utilize the accumulated knowledge and experience.”
Specific measures embody extending the retirement age for glorious researchers and opening the best way for retired scientists to deal with technical recommendation or human sources growth for small and medium-sized corporations. In reality, within the United States, you’ll be able to proceed your analysis with a lifetime place if you’d like, and in Europe, a system that continues to help associated infrastructure to researchers even after retirement is energetic.
Going overseas looking for analysis alternatives
“We need to come up with a plan to utilize retired scientists.”
(*30*) 사진 확대 The Senior Science and Technology Association estimates that the variety of retired scientists in Korea is about 75,000. Considering the tempo of growing old society and the huge retirement of child boomers, it is predicted that the period of 100,000 retired scientists is not going to be lengthy.
The growing old pattern within the home scientific group is clear. According to a report by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Planning and Evaluation (KISTEP), the proportion of researchers of their 20s and 30s progressively decreases within the decade from 2011 to 2020, whereas the variety of researchers after their 40s is growing quickly. The variety of researchers of their 40s elevated from 23.7% in 2011 to 30.2% in 2020. As of 2020, 46.9% of researchers are of their 40s and older. Under the present system, most of them will retire inside 10 years.
(*40*)Scientists who have been retired early in Korea are sometimes compelled to select to go overseas. After retiring from Hanyang University in 2018, Lee Young-baek, a chair professor at Fudan University, selected to go to China to proceed his analysis. Professor Lee stated, “Research is a part of life, so I can’t imagine a life without research,” and added, “I wanted to study as much as I could, but I had no choice but to go to China because there was no place in Korea to accept it.”
China attracts proficient scientists of all nationalities and ages, and helps them to proceed their analysis if the outcomes are good. Professor Lee stated, “China is a certain capitalist society in that it treats those who are good and those who are not good differently,” including, “If all researchers are retired collectively like Korea, the national loss will increase.” In explicit, he stated, “It was so frustrating to reduce research equipment and graduate students little by little ahead of the retirement age in Korea.” Since home professors progressively scale back their analysis scale 5 years earlier than retirement, precise retirement begins on the age of 60.
It is argued that the chance for collaboration ought to be opened as a result of it may well create synergy if researchers from a number of generations work collectively. Professor Lee stated, “The younger generation is good at fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), but it helps with basic science research, and networks of experienced scientists are also needed for international joint research.”
First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae, Rep. Hwang Jung-ah of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kwon Oh-nam, president of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Organizations, and Roh Tae-won, president of the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, attended the occasion. First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae stated, “Korea was possible thanks to senior scientists who endured difficult times in research and industrial fields. The wisdom of senior scientists is the strongest asset to open the future.” Vice Minister Koo stated, “We will seek ways to utilize senior science and technicians in a way that enhances the challenge and creativity of junior generations.”
Hwang Jung-ah, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea, additionally stated, “As the global technology situation changes rapidly, the knowledge of the senior generation is more important than ever.” Last 12 months, Hwang proposed a invoice to use and help retired scientists. On this present day, members of the Senior Association gathered signatures calling for immediate dialogue and passage of the invoice.