Korea’s 3rd Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems Based on Science and Technology (2023-2027) is a mission-oriented innovation policy plan, leveraging science and technology to address social issues spanning across well-being domains of natural, human and social capital. The social problems to be addressed through the plan were identified through consultation across government departments and with the public.
Korea’s Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems Based on Science and Technology (2023‑2027)
Abstract
Korea’s level of investment in R&D is high, although the share of R&D investment devoted to health and society is relatively low compared to other areas such as defense. To address this, national plans have been adopted to direct science and technology applications to solve major social problems over five-year periods. The plans embody a mission-oriented approach, whereby coordinated and cross-sectoral policy and regulatory measures are employed to mobilise joint action across different government departments and different actors towards the achievement of well-defined societal objectives in a specified timeline. The 3rd Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems Based on Science and Technology (2023-2027) is notable for the high level of public engagement in the selection of the priority objectives to be addressed through the plan, spanning a number of well-being dimensions.
The 3rd Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems Based on Science and Technology identifies ten broad social problem domains (health, environment, culture and leisure, life safety, disaster, energy, housing and transportation, family, education, and social integration) and 43 social problems across these domains deserving of attracting R&D investment focus. The Plan also identifies five “core problems”, or missions, namely: ageing, cybercrime, reducing fine particle matter, reducing microplastics, and reducing household waste. In addition to delivering on the social problems, the Plan provides support to enhance cooperation between ministries by assigning Flagship Planning Committees to each mission.
The Plan’s strategic orientation and identification of social problems was based on an extensive consultation process led by the STI Office and involving the public, experts, ministries, and public-private advisory councils, including through participatory processes and surveys. The government also conducted big data analysis on public sentiment, topic modelling analysis of news trends, and forecast surveys, to track the evolution of salient social problems over time. The draft Plan was also submitted to related ministries, agencies, and local governments to collect their opinions, and approved by the Public-Private Council for Social Problem Solving and the PACST Deliberative Council.
The Ministry of Science and ICTs and the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning eventually decided on five core social problems, or issues that would gain priority for a whole-of-government mission-oriented approach. The core social problems are framed with target areas and timebound indicators (e.g., reducing pedestrian deaths and injuries per 100 000 elderly people from 103 to 70 by 2027), and a roadmap of R&D and non-R&D tasks that will help achieve these targets.
The Plan’s delivery involves a large spectrum of stakeholders, including regional universities and local research institutions, as well as co-operation with residents, researchers, local governments, and organisations dedicated to science and culture. The implementation of the 3rd Plan will be assessed through a set of indicators and targets, reviewed every year by the Ministry of Science and ICT. To ensure the missions laid out in the Plan are delivered, implementation plans are established annually, including updates on the five core problems, as well as potential revisions to the list of social problems. Ministries may also undergo a performance evaluation before every annual implementation plan.
The implementation of the plan fosters horizontal coordination across government through mechanisms including cross-departmental “horizontal” budgets and cross-ministerial collaboration on R&D planning, investment, and evaluation (through Flagship Programme Planning Committees). The Plan’s five-year timeline allows for strategic planning, investment, implementation, and evaluation that outlast annual policy and budget cycles, and the iterative process allows for continuity, adaptation, and improvement over time. Sustained funding from the Korean government to address social problems signals their continued commitment to funding solutions related to the Plan. The extensive public outreach conducted to finalise the selection of priority social problems to be addressed fostered citizen engagement with the plan.
NTIS/Ministry off Science and ICT (2021), Social Problem Solving R&D Guidelines for Field Application [현장적용을 위한 사회문제해결R&D 가이드라인], https://www.ntis.go.kr/scisoplatform/scisoplusbrief.do?sprSeq=9961.
Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology (2023), The 3rd Comprehensive Plan for Solving Social Problems Based on Science and Technology (23-27) (Draft), [제3차 과학기술 기반 사회문제해결 종합계획(‘23~’27)(안)], https://www.pacst.go.kr/jsp/council/councilArchiveView.jsp?archive_id=1070&cpage=3#this.
OECD (2025), “Challenges and opportunities of mission-oriented innovation policy in Korea”, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Policy Papers, No. 172, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d725304c-en.
OECD (2025), Comprehensive Plan to Solve Social Problems Based on Science and Technology 2023-27, STIP Compass International Database on STI Policies, https://stip.oecd.org/moip/case-studies/45.
OECD (2024), How’s Life in your country? Country note: Korea, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/how-s-life-2024-country-notes_2603b12c-en/korea_bf0bcaa8-en.html.
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