Scientists Also Criticize Mis-administration

Following the Economic and Business Professors’ declaration on the situation, scientists and technicians will also announce their declaration on the situation and criticize mis-administration.

The Korean Federation for Science and Technology (KFST, President Kim Si-jung) announced that it would hold a press conference at Gwacheon Government Complex on February 26, and hold a general meeting at the Korean Science and Technology Hall on February 27, to present a declaration on the situation to “break the economic deadlock.”

In the declaration, distributed in advance, KFST diagnosed that “in the political and economic confusion, we are facing ‘a whole economic crisis,’ such as shrunken enterprise investments and decreased employment due to the export abroad of manufacturing industries.”

The declaration also pointed out that “the avoidance of science majors and the decrease of applicants to science majors are shaking the root of science and technology, which is the basis for competitive power.”

KFST decided to ask government and political parties for management capable of inducing open market funding to business departments such as the enactment of “express laws for improvement of competitive power (tentative name).”

During the press conference, Park Seung-duk, KFST deputy president, explained the situation of this declaration, saying, “Despite the huge decrease in employment owing to the movement abroad of manufacturing industries and the decrease in investment, the government is unable to suggest a counter plan.”

Park also asked for stronger support for smaller and medium-sized enterprises, saying the “the government’s plan for employment is inclined towards favoring large corporations.”

Regarding science and technology, Park pointed out, “We should deliberate a special counter plan capable of preventing lowering of scholarly attainments by strengthening science education in order to improve Korea economy’s long-term competitive power.”

Park also criticized that “as revealed in the trouble of supply and demand of raw materials, the government does not have any vision and perspective about energy supply and demand, and counter plans regarding growth power.”

The KFST includes 372 corporations and organizations, including science societies, science associations, and a research institute.

Ki-Jeong Ko koh@donga.com