Happy new year 2023 to all IBS members.
The year of the Black Rabbit (계묘년, 癸卯年) has begun. As the black rabbit represents wisdom (black) and
abundance (rabbit), I wish you a great year ahead catching the two rabbits of wisdom and prosperity.
The United Nations proclaimed 2022 as the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development,
stressing that basic sciences are vital for a sustainable development of humankind. This underlines the
important role of basic sciences in effectively responding to climate change, COVID-19 and other global
challenges that humanity is facing. As the President of IBS, the nation’s flagship research institute for
basic science, I reaffirmed our mission of conducting basic science research that benefits not only our
nation but all humanity.
Last year was a tough, but meaningful year for both basic science and IBS. We went through several waves of
COVID-19, currency depreciation due to the war, policy changes in science and technology under the new
administration and other difficult challenges. Despite these difficulties, all IBS members have spared no
efforts in furtherance of our mission and activities.
The heavy ion accelerator project launched as the Heavy-Ion Accelerator Research Institute and succeeded in
producing their first beam after 10 years of endeavors. The Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics
completed Yemilab, the world’s six largest deep underground research facility at 1,000 meters underground,
which will serve as a foundation for dark matter search and neutrino experiments. Celebrating its first
anniversary, the Korea Virus Research Institute has started to produce basic research results in viruses and
immunity. Also at Headquarters, the Institute for Life Sciences was launched and dedicated IBS research
buildings at KAIST and POSTECH were completed, which are expected to serve as IBS’ regional hubs. Moreover,
the Center for Epitaxial van der Waals Quantum Solids and the Pioneer Research Center for Climate and Earth
Science were launched and embarked on their research journey.
On the research side, our researchers provided clear evidence for a link between astronomically-driven
climate change and human evolution, and successfully achieved A-to-G base conversion,
the final missing piece of the puzzle in gene editing technology. These are just a few examples of last
year’s research highlights that our researchers have generated, advancing the frontiers of knowledge. This
was all made possible due to the hard work and efforts of our researchers and all IBS members. I would like
to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to you all.
2023 is a critical year as IBS’ third five-year plan begins. For me personally, it has been more than three
years since I took office, which is past the midpoint of my term, so this year will be the year to reaffirm
the commitment I had at the beginning. Whereas the second five-year plan aimed for establishment and
stability, the third five-year plan aims to advance to become a world-leading basic science research
institute. I would like to share with you today what tasks are ahead of us to achieve the goal.
First, we will expand the number of Research Centers by promoting strategic research in fundamental and
innovative areas. At the beginning of IBS, we selected world-class researchers as our directors with
research topics chosen by themselves. This bottom-up approach resulted in the generation of outstanding
research outcomes in a relatively short period of time, but also led to a concentration in certain fields.
From this year, while maintaining existing bottom-up research approach to research topics, we will implement
a top-down approach in forming Research Centers with a strong focus on current areas of national strategic
importance such as space, quantum science, brain science and climate change, as well as quantum information
science and other areas that will be at the center of strategic technologies in the future. Moreover, by
attracting promising young directors we will support research that pioneers new domains. In order to become
a world-class research institution and to compete with world’s great institutions, it is necessary to meet
the original goal of forming 50 Research Centers.
Second, we will complete a nationwide research base by promoting HQ Research Centers as a strategic pivot and
forming Campus and Extramural Research Centers into clusters (institutes).
We formulate a plan to continue to strengthen Headquarters. We will strive to make all our research units at
Headquarters to become a collective national research hub.
We will form Campus Research Centers into clusters (institutes) based on strategic areas by campus. We plan
to restructure Campus Research Centers at POSTECH into an institute for solid state research, and Campus
Research Centers at KAIST into an institute for chemistry and an institute for biomedical research. Based on
their specialized area, the cluster system will also apply to Research Centers at UNIST where designing a
dedicated IBS building is underway, as well as GIST and DGIST where more Research Centers are going to be
launched.
Extramural Research Centers will be renamed as University Research Centers to promote them as small but
strong research institutes that can be sustainable with universities. We will formulate a more detailed plan
for University Research Centers within this year.
Third, we will cultivate the growth of strategic research institutes, including the Heavy-Ion Accelerator
Research Institute and the Korea Virus Research Institute. We will promote the Heavy-Ion Accelerator
Research Institute as a hub for conducting rare isotope experiments by stabilizing the low-energy field and
working to complete the construction of the high-energy field. We will also set up a system for beam user
services.
Similarly, we will promote the Korea Virus Research Institute as a national focal point of basic research in
virology by providing support to complete the construction of the biosafety level 3 laboratory and launch
one additional Research Center by 2024.
Fourth, we will continue to provide a stable and effective research environment where researchers can be
immersed in their research.
We need more mid-career researchers at our Research Centers, so we will establish a policy to attract them
and will develop internal career growth paths where early career researchers can grow in a sustainable way.
In order to relieve researchers’ administrative burden so they can focus on their research, we will enhance
research administrative services to be more researcher-oriented and provide fast and accurate administrative
services.
Closing down Research Centers is inevitable to maintain research excellence and a steady flow of researchers
and research areas, but it is always with a heavy heart. We will seek for ways to provide a smooth exit plan
for closing Research Centers and ways for departing researchers to wrap up their ongoing research in a
stable manner and other opportunities they can continue their research.
Fifth, we will facilitate the further dissemination of basic science outcomes and knowledge. The second basic
plan for the International Science and Business Belt was established last year. In order to successfully
implement this plan over the next 10 years, disseminating IBS’ research outcomes is essential as IBS is the
key research institution within the International Science and Business Belt. We will strive to make new
discoveries and ensure that such scientific discoveries are disseminated within the International Science
and Business Belt and to industry, academia and the general public. In order to ensure IBS’ scientific
discoveries are translated into new business opportunities, we will strengthen our efforts on technology
transfer and commercialization. Furthermore, we will embrace the open access movement to render scientific
knowledge more accessible. With increased science communication activities, we will raise public awareness
of basic science and IBS.
Lastly, we will do our best to keep IBS a sustainable and enjoyable workplace for all IBS members. Given the
difficult financial situation both inside and outside the institution, we will step up efforts to establish
and implement a plan to manage personnel costs in a sustainable way. We will expand more channels for
communication and improve the relevant policy through a process of discussion and consensus.
We will continue to exert efforts to integrate human rights into business management where all IBS members
respect each other’s dignity, value and rights, recognize diversity and work in a safe and pleasant
environment. By preventing a career break due to giving birth and childcare, we will do our best to create a
workplace where work-life balance is possible.
As the old saying goes, “Let us work in unison together to shape the distant future”. If all members of our
IBS community trust each other and grow together, I am certain that we can overcome the pandemic, restricted
budget situation, and other obstacles that we are facing, and eventually advance to become a world-leading
basic science research institute. As we usher in the new year, with pride that IBS represents the nation’s
basic science research, let us come together in unison for a better future.
Thank you and happy new year.
NOH Do Young
President of IBS
