Science Ministry Invites Applications for K-Moonshot AI Scientist Mission PD... Two Months After Minhyung Lee’s Resignation

Final Selection and Appointment Scheduled for September

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) announced on August 7 that they are openly recruiting a Program Director (PD) to supervise the AI Scientist Mission for the 'K-Moonshot Project.'

The goal of the AI Scientist Mission is to develop an AI system that can independently carry out the entire research cycle by 2035, from hypothesis formulation and experimental design to verification, analysis, and the derivation of research outcomes.

Ministry of Science and ICT logo. Ministry of Science and ICT

The newly appointed PD will be affiliated with the National AI Science Research Center (NAIS) under the NST, which is responsible for the AI Scientist Mission and will serve as the mission's overall lead. Specifically, the role includes establishing the mission roadmap; planning key research and development (R&D) projects; designing and securing budgets for gap technologies in R&D; overseeing project selection, evaluation, management, and progress checks; managing commercialization and spin-offs of the outcomes; and coordinating collaboration among relevant ministries, dedicated agencies, industry, academia, and research institutes. The PD will have full authority to lead all these activities.

Previously, Minhyung Lee, CEO of Astromorph, had been selected as the PD for the AI Scientist field but resigned in June following controversies concerning his academic background and career. After his resignation, the head of the NAIS Center had concurrently handled the duties of the AI Scientist Mission PD.

Applications are being accepted until August 24, and the final selection and appointment are scheduled for September. The PD will be appointed as a Special Research Fellow of the council and will serve until July 2029.

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