Safeguarding Technological Sovereignty: A New Framework for Research Security in Korea
2026.09.10.
As international collaboration and researcher mobility continue to expand, research openness has become vital to global innovation. However, this environment has also heightened concerns over the unauthorized overseas transfer of core technologies and research assets. Traditionally reliant on voluntary, lab-level autonomy, research institutions and universities are now facing an evolving regulatory landscape where security is no longer merely optional, but a structured institutional responsibility.
To address these vulnerabilities without unduly stifling open innovation, the Korean government has introduced a comprehensive research security framework under the National R&D Innovation Act. Notably, this overhaul establishes a risk-based "Sensitive Projects" designation, significantly expands compliance mandates for major universities and research entities, and introduces stricter penalties for security misconduct. Research institutions and their international partners must now proactively re-examine their governance structures, foreign researcher management protocols, and collaborative agreements to ensure rigorous compliance.
For more details, please refer to the full report attached below.
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