SNU professor tapped as Yoon’s senior secretary for science and technology

Park Sang-ook, new senior presidential secretary for science and technology, speaks at a press briefing at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Thursday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol tapped Park Sang-ook, a science studies professor at Seoul National University (SNU), as his inaugural senior secretary for science and technology.

The senior presidential secretary for science and technology was newly established on Nov. 30, bringing the total number of senior presidential secretaries to six.

"He is not only well-versed in both theory and practice, he also has deep policy insight and is committed to reforming the R&D (research and development) system," presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup said during a press briefing.

"We expect him to adjust and coordinate various policies to preemptively identify areas of investment in critical technologies and R&D that will determine Korea's competitiveness in the future."

Under the new office helmed by Park, four secretaries will be in charge of four fields: R&D policy, digital technology, bio and medical sector and future strategic technologies.

"I will do my best to prepare for Korea's future through science and technology," Park said in the press briefing, "and strive to secure capabilities and grow strategic technology fields such as the artificial intelligence (AI), quantum and bio sector."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]