Bill to promote management and use of national research data submitted to National Assembly

2024.07.08. The Fair Economy — Rep. Park Chung-gwon, a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, announced on the 8th that he had sponsored the 'Act on the Promotion of Management and Use of National Research Data' on the 4th. The bill is designed to systematically manage research data generated during national research and development (R&D) projects in order to promote convergence and joint research.

As the value of research data as a source of new knowledge and value has risen, the need for a research data sharing system to promote convergence and collaborative research has increased. Major countries, including the United States, have long been implementing policies for the systematic management and utilization of research data, and through the digitalization of scientific and technological research they have accumulated research data and applied artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate new outcomes.

South Korea has also made various attempts, such as introducing data management plans and building a national research data platform. However, the lack of legal and institutional infrastructure has limited progress, and given the country's low birth rate, aging population, and rising incidents of technology leaks, establishing a system for managing and utilizing research data has become an urgent task.

To address this, Rep. Park Chung-gwon's bill stipulates: the Ministry of Science and ICT shall establish a basic plan every three years for promoting the management and use of national research data; R&D institutions shall be obligated to collect and manage data; national research data shall be made publicly available free of charge; and specialized personnel shall be trained. The bill aims to promote the conversion of research outcomes generated through national R&D into digital assets, and to create new scientific and technological achievements and socioeconomic value through sharing and utilization.

Rep. Park Chung-gwon said, "As the importance of science and technology grows worldwide in this era of technological hegemony, the systematic management of national research data is a national asset and an essential task. Since it can help avoid unnecessary duplicate research and foster collaboration among researchers through data, I will work to ensure this bill is passed in the National Assembly, helping South Korea rise to become a science and technology powerhouse."