Unification Ministry seeks control of research institute, staff wary

Jan. 15 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's Ministry of Unification on Thursday announced draft legislation to bring the Korea Institute for National Unification under the ministry's jurisdiction, a proposal that some researchers said could weaken the institute's independence. The ministry posted a draft "Unification Research Institute" bill that would shift oversight of the government-funded institute from the Office for Government Policy Coordination's research council framework to the Ministry of Unification. In the bill, the ministry said research on unification and security has direct implications for inter-Korean relations and national security and differs from other state-funded research bodies currently managed under the council system. It said the transfer would create a closer link between policy and research and strengthen the institute's capacity to support the government in shaping North Korea and unification policy. The ministry said it will accept opinions on the draft online and offline through Feb. 23. A ministry official said the legislative notice period will allow interagency consultations to proceed while feedback is collected and said talks are underway with the Office for Government Policy Coordination. Related LG AI Research leads Korea AI model review; Naver Cloud out U.S. Treasury warns won volatility out of line with Korea fundamentals BOK again holds key rate steady amid weak won, hints at prolonged pause Inside the institute, some staff voiced concern the move could narrow the scope of research. "If the institute is placed under the Ministry of Unification, there is concern research could end up serving to justify government policy," one researcher said, requesting anonymity. The researcher added that critical work or positions at odds with the government could be constrained. A ministry official said consultations with the Prime Minister's Office and the institute are required during the notice period and said the ministry is aware of differing views and plans to communicate with researchers. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young previously said he would seek the transfer by enacting an institute-specific law and revising legislation governing state-funded research organizations. Chung has argued the ministry lacks an in-house think tank, noting that other ministries maintain affiliated research bodies. The issue also surfaced at a briefing to Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Jan. 9 at the Economic, Social and Human Sciences Research Institute. Hyun Seung-soo, an acting head at the institute, said the organization has focused on mid- to long-term research and warned that shifting oversight to the ministry could push work toward short-term policy support, reducing research on future unification and integration. Hyun also said the internal period for gathering views is short and that an acting leadership structure makes it difficult to consolidate a common position. He added that some staff also expect working conditions could improve if the transfer proceeds. -- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI © Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

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