(21 Aug 2024) The Nature Index 2024 South Korea supplement highlights the challenges that the country is facing in science and investment, including in research output and gender disparity – with only 23% of the research workforce being female, there is a major growth opportunity for the country to cement its place as leader in science.
South Korea stands out among the leading countries in the Nature Index for its substantial investments in research and development (R&D) and a robust history of innovation. However, as highlighted in the Nature Index 2024 South Korea supplement published today, the country is grappling with challenges that threaten its position, including declining student enrollment, stark gender imbalances in the research workforce, and cultural factors that hinder the development of a diverse research ecosystem.
Exploring the many aspects of South Korea’s research environment and the steps needed to enhance its global standing, this year’s Index shows:
- South Korea’s strong commitment to science, boasting the highest number of researchers per capita and significant spending on R&D compared to other countries in the Nature Index. However, the country is not getting as much ‘bang for its buck’, compared to other countries when output in journals tracked by the Nature Index is compared to R&D spending.
- The biggest challenges faced by South Korea, which include: maintaining its status as an innovation hub and ties between industry and academia; a rapid decline in student numbers; and a lack of representation in the research workforce.
- How South Korean research can be made open to the world, including how international students and researchers can be attracted and retained, despite cultural and language differences.
- League tables of the top 50 South Korean Institutions, listed by Share* in the Nature Index.
The announcement in full is here.
