(SEOUL=NEWSIS) The government has established 38 core innovation tasks to improve the quality of research and development (R&D) achievements and support the growth of small- and medium-sized companies.

The government will form a taskforce team and private participation inspection team to swiftly carry out tasks related to R&D innovation. The detailed action plan for these tasks includes developing and strengthening government-funded research centers to resolve the technological difficulties faced by companies through maximizing the centers’ technology, human resources and know how.

The government will revamp the budget structure for these centers. It will adopt the Fraunhofer model for the first six institutions, including the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials and Korea Institute of Materials Science, and gradually expand funding.

The centers will also nurture 123 government-selected companies to provide full support for their tailored technology transfers, human resources, devices and exports by the end of October.

The government will prepare a special support system per research phase so that research institutions that conduct basic research can freely apply for their research period and funding.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning established a standard guideline for evaluating national R&D tasks, which will be reviewed by government ministries and research management institutions in November.

The government will also increase the share of companies participating in government R&D projects to prevent insolvency and encourage private R&D investment.

shoon@newsis.com