The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology said Friday that its President Park Sun-gyu has been elected chairman of the Association of Directors of Government-Funded Research Institutes.
The decision was made at the association’s fourth regular meeting of the year, held Thursday at KICT’s headquarters in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
Park will officially begin his two-year term in January 2026. As chairman, he will lead a key consultative body tasked with promoting cooperation and policy coordination among South Korea’s government-funded research institutions.
Established in 1994, the association represents 52 state-sponsored research institutes located in major administrative and research hubs, including Daejeon, Seoul, Gwangju and Sejong. It has played a central role in presenting unified policy proposals and improving the management of the country’s science and technology sector.
Following his election, Park emphasized the growing importance of human capital in research and innovation.
“Developing and retaining scientific talent is critical to the future of our innovation capacity,” Park said. “The association will work closely with member institutes to help elevate Korea’s science and technology capabilities on the global stage.”
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