Personnel Office Press Statement Released: 'Demand for Normalization of Academic Research Budget in the Cultural Sector'

The Korean Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences Associations (Chairman Wi Haengbok, hereinafter referred to as KFHS) issued a statement on the 27th demanding the normalization of academic research budgets in the fields of humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts.

Reporting on the current status of academic research budgets in the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors, which suffer significant discrimination compared to the science and technology fields, the statement appealed for the attention and support of all sectors for the restoration of the academic ecosystem in these fields, balanced development of each academic discipline, and a mature and advanced future for the Republic of Korea.

KFHS emphasized that for the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors in universities to devote themselves to their unique research and education based on long-term development plans, public support must be significantly strengthened. To create an environment where the science and technology fields and the humanities and social sciences fields can grow in balance, they made the following demands.

▲ In the allocation of government R&D budgets, prioritize maintaining fairness in support scale among academic disciplines and the balanced development of academic ecosystems in each field. Demand the normalization of academic research budgets in the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors. ▲ Normalize the national R&D budget allocation by increasing the academic research budget for the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors to more than four times the current level.

▲ Ensure balanced development of academia and the nation's grand future by equally adjusting the selection rates of government central research funds across all academic fields. ▲ Recognize the uniqueness and independence of academic research in the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors, promptly enact the ‘Basic Act on Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship’ to support academic research in these fields, and establish a control tower for research and education in the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors.

KFHS stated, “As public support disparities among academic fields deepen, the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors in universities are being left at the brink of collapse.” They emphasized, “Given the long-standing vitality of these fields, if existing infrastructure is damaged, enormous effort and time will be required for recovery,” and “We must no longer ignore the collapse of research and educational capabilities in the humanities, social sciences, culture, and arts sectors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.