Issue Strategy 4: spread the benefits of science across regions, classes and generations

Summary

The plan's review finds that talent and capital have become more concentrated in the capital region, regional industrial competitiveness has weakened, and science-based responses to natural and social disasters, the energy transition and climate change have fallen short. The fourth strategy therefore aims to reignite science-based growth engines and innovation ecosystems in the five regional poles and three special zones. It also seeks R&D systems that citizens can feel in their daily lives, covering health and safety and self-reliance in power and energy, and stronger forecasting of and adaptation to low fertility, ageing and climate change. As core targets, the plan aims to raise the non-capital regions' share of gross regional product from 47.2 percent to 50 percent and total sales of firms in R&D special zones from 85.9 trillion won to 150 trillion won. It also targets extending healthy life expectancy from 65.5 years to 70 years and raising the achievement rate of the national greenhouse gas reduction target from 18 percent to 40 percent.