[Power K-Women] Her Own Promotion Was Delayed While Studying the Glass Ceiling Facing Women... What Shim Jungmin Wants to Change

Shim Jungmin, Head of KISTEP's Talent Strategy Center, on her career
25 years from researching policies for women in science and technology to shaping national talent strategy
Women lead just 9.2% of large research projects... Barriers to career growth remain
Her experience of promotion delays due to childbirth and childcare shaped her approach to talent policy
"In the age of AI, the ability to ask questions matters... We must build a country where talent is respected"

"Women researchers work incredibly hard.
But many of them don't properly let others know just how good they are at their jobs."

Shim Jeongmin, director of the Talent Strategy Center at the Innovation Strategy Division of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, poses with The Asia Business Daily at the Eumseong County Office in North Chungcheong Province. September 28, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin.

A researcher studying the gender pay gap among women researchers experienced her own promotion being delayed because of childbirth and childcare. For Shim Jungmin, head of the Talent Strategy Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), the career challenges facing women in science and technology were both a subject of research and part of her own life. Looking back, she said, "I thought that once you fall behind, you'll just keep falling further behind." It was a period when her doctoral studies, major policy projects and caring for two young children all coincided.

After beginning her policy research in earnest in 2008 with the development of the Second Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Women in Science and Technology, she has spent 25 years studying science and technology talent policy. For the Fifth Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Technology Talent (2026–2030), finalized on August 31 this year, she served as the original proposer of the planning project and head of the department overseeing it. Her focus, which began with the question of how to develop women’s talent, has since expanded to consider where they can find opportunities and how they can grow.

The reality remains challenging. According to a 2024 survey by the Korea Foundation for Women In Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET), women accounted for 31.9% of new hires at research and development institutions, but only 13.1% of people in leadership positions and 13.3% of principal investigators. Women led just 9.2% of large research projects with budgets of at least 10 billion won. In a recent interview with The Asia Business Daily, Shim emphasized the importance of creating an environment where women in science and technology can thrive, saying, "It's not that women lack ability; they simply aren't given enough opportunities to put that ability to use."

-How did you begin your career as a science and technology policy researcher?

▲I didn't set out to do policy research from the beginning. I graduated during the Asian financial crisis and experienced corporate restructuring while working at a private company. I became interested in the public sector, where I could work more stably, and happened to see a KISTEP job posting and apply. After joining, I worked on evaluating research and development projects and coordinating budgets. The real turning point came in 2008, when I took charge of the Second Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Women in Science and Technology. A junior researcher was given the opportunity to work on a national long-term plan. At the time, I studied the conditions and productivity of women researchers, as well as the gender pay gap. That experience became the starting point for my work on talent policy, which I have continued ever since.

The document for the "Second Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Women in Science and Technology (2009-2013)," deliberated and finalized by the National Science and Technology Council on November 18, 2008. Sim Jeongmin, then head of KISTEP's Human Resources Strategy Center, was responsible for drafting the plan, marking the start of his work on science and technology talent policy. National Science and Technology Council

-You studied the career challenges faced by women researchers, and then experienced them yourself.

▲There was a perception that the pay gap between men and women in science and technology would not be large because the field requires a high level of expertise. But when I researched the issue, I found a pay gap rooted in the structure of the labor market. Around that time, I also experienced childbirth and childcare. My two children are 20 months apart, and their births and care coincided with my doctoral studies and a promotion. I was away from work for a period because of childbirth and childcare, and that did in fact set back my promotion.

At the time, I thought, "Once you fall behind, you'll just keep falling further behind." So I worked incredibly hard. At one point, I took on five or six projects at once. My husband and family helped a great deal, too. Although it took longer than I had hoped, I completed my doctorate and was promoted. Until then, I had researched policy as if it were someone else's concern, but at some point it became my own. Now my two daughters are proud of what their mother does. I feel rewarded when they sometimes tell me they want to be like me.

Shim Jungmin, head of the Talent Strategy Center at the Innovation Strategy Division of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, speaks with The Asia Business Daily at the Eumseong County Office in North Chungcheong Province on Sept. 28, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

-More women are pursuing science and engineering, so why are there still so few in senior positions or leading large research projects?

▲The career paths of women in science and technology are often described as "L-shaped." These are fields where technology changes quickly and expertise is essential, so once someone leaves the labor market, it is difficult to reenter. As research projects have grown larger and more interdisciplinary in recent years, it has become even more important to participate in key projects early on and build networks with other researchers. If women are excluded from that process because of childbirth and childcare, it is difficult for them to rejoin core research projects.

There are also significant differences by field. Women are relatively well represented in life sciences and biotechnology, but less so in mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, and aerospace. In 2024, women made up 52.5% of students enrolled in natural sciences programs, but only 23.7% of those in engineering programs. The fields women choose to study do not necessarily align with the industries' demand for workers. We need to look beyond increasing the number of women entering science and engineering and examine which fields offer them opportunities and how they can grow.

-Does that mean support policies need to change as women's academic achievement and participation in the workforce expand?

▲That's right. Our organization recently hired nine new employees, eight of whom were women. Looking only at this, people might ask why policies supporting women are still needed. But achievements in education and entering the labor market are different from growth after entering it. Women still face structural barriers as they seek good jobs, maintain their careers, lead key research and advance to senior positions.

In the past, the focus was on how many women we could train. Now, we need to ensure that they can continue to grow and put their abilities to use after entering the labor market. It is not enough just to say that collaboration and communication are women's strengths. They need opportunities to demonstrate those abilities from the early stages of their careers.

-What principles guide you as you lead the center?

▲There are two. First, I try to create an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions. They should be able to ask freely about what they don't know, discuss things with one another and work together. I also try to encourage people to share their opinions openly with me.

Second, I make sure our employees' achievements are well known outside the organization. We have many women with doctoral degrees at our center, but some work hard without actively publicizing their achievements. So when I meet outside experts, I try to explain specifically what our junior researchers have done and what expertise they bring. Making their work known can lead to new networks and opportunities. I believe it is a center director's role to ensure that people who achieve good results receive due recognition.

The three key strategies in the 5th Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Technology Talent (2026-2030), announced by the Ministry of Science and ICT. With the vision of “A country where people aspire to work in science and technology, and where they are respected,” the plan aims to expand opportunities and rewards for talent to grow and thrive, strengthen dynamism and diversity, and establish a national talent management system. Sim Jeongmin, director of KISTEP’s Talent Strategy Center, oversaw development of the plan. Ministry of Science and ICT

-What did you consider the most important issue in the Fifth Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Technology Talent?

▲Everyone says science and technology talent is important. But the problem is that students studying science and technology and researchers working in the field don't see a sufficiently clear vision of their future. Even after years of study and developing a high level of expertise, it's uncertain whether they will be able to find the jobs they want and conduct research under stable conditions. There are not enough permanent research positions at universities and government-funded research institutes, and issues such as limited research autonomy and administrative burdens remain.

So this plan focuses not simply on training more people, but on enabling those who have been trained to grow and thrive in the field. We need good research jobs, fair compensation and a stable research environment. The plan's vision is "A country where people aspire to work in science and technology, and where they are respected."

I also don't believe that we must keep talent from going abroad at all costs. People can gain experience in a good environment and return, or contribute to the country by collaborating with domestic researchers while living overseas. What matters is not preventing talent from leaving, but creating a research environment that makes people want to return.

-What qualities do people need in the age of AI, and what would you like to say to young women researchers?

▲The most important quality is the ability to ask questions. I use ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, too. When an AI gives me an odd answer, I ask again and question the basis for its response. AI provides answers, but people must decide what they want to know and what problems to raise. I believe the ability to ask "Why is that?" is more important than the technical skill of writing good prompts.

It is also important to express your ideas clearly and persuade others with evidence. I especially want to tell young women researchers to build expertise in their fields and actively publicize their achievements. Doing good work alone is not always enough. Other people need to know what you can do in order for new opportunities to arise.

Shim Jeongmin, head of the Human Resources Strategy Center at the Innovation Strategy Division of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the Eumseong County Office in North Chungcheong Province. September 28, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

-What is one issue you would particularly like to resolve going forward?

▲Recently, I have been most interested in jobs for local talent and the impact AI will have on the labor market. Even if we develop talent in local areas, it is difficult for people to stay if there are no good jobs. We also need to accurately assess how AI will change existing jobs and what new jobs it will create. I want to develop policies that work in practice, rather than relying on vague alternatives.

After developing national long-term plans for many years, I have come to understand how important policy continuity is. Introducing new policies is necessary, but it takes time for them to have a real effect. An expert once told me that one of my plans seemed to have "no soul in it." I believe I put a soul of my own into every plan. I hope this basic plan, too, will be judged not as a document that simply sits on a shelf, but as one that brought about real change in the field.

▶Shim Jungmin, Head of the Talent Strategy Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)

She graduated from Ewha Womans University, earned a master's degree in business administration from Seoul National University Graduate School, and received a doctorate in technology management from Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School. In 2014, she earned her doctorate with a dissertation titled "An Empirical Study on the Gender Pay Gap Among Science and Technology Personnel." After working at a private company following the Asian financial crisis, she joined KISTEP, where she worked on evaluating government research and development projects and coordinating budgets. Her research into science and technology talent policy began in earnest when she took part in developing the Second Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Women in Science and Technology in 2008. She has since studied the career development and pay gap of women in science and technology, as well as national research and development and talent policies. As head of KISTEP's Science and Technology Policy Center, she took part in developing the Fifth Basic Plan for Science and Technology (2023–2027). She currently leads the development of the Fifth Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Science and Technology Talent (2026–2030) as head of the Talent Strategy Center.

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