A KRW 58 Million Starting Salary... Scientists in Their 30s and 40s Are Leaving [2026 National Assembly Audit]

88% of Departing Researchers Are in Their 30s and 40s... Many Move to Universities
Low Pay and Concerns Over Research Autonomy... Undermining the Ability to Attract Talent

Young researchers are continuing to leave government-funded research institutes, a key pillar of the national research and development (R&D) system. The average starting salary for newly hired researchers with doctoral degrees is about KRW 58.01 million, with starting salaries varying by more than KRW 23 million depending on the institute. Nine out of 10 researchers who voluntarily left these institutes were in their 30s or 40s, and many moved to universities.

According to data separately submitted by the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) to Assembly members Lee Juhee and Kim Namguk of the Democratic Party of Korea, who serve on the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, the average starting salary in 2025 for research positions requiring a doctoral degree at 23 government-funded research institutes was KRW 58.01 million. The figure is based on annual salary contracts for university graduates with no military service or work experience, and excludes various allowances, including research allowances.

A corridor at a research facility run by a government-funded research institute. With 88.4% of research staff who voluntarily left government-funded institutes last year in their 30s and 40s, the brain drain of young scientists is once again drawing attention. Photo by Kim Jonghwa.

There were also wide differences among institutes. The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science had the highest starting salary at KRW 70.37 million, followed by the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KRW 67.86 million), the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KRW 66.95 million), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KRW 66.36 million). By contrast, the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine had the lowest salary at KRW 47.16 million. The National Institute of Toxicological Sciences (KRW 47.29 million), the National Security Research Institute (KRW 48.97 million), and the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KRW 50.19 million) also ranked relatively low.

The difference between the highest- and lowest-paying institutes was KRW 23.21 million, or about 1.49 times. Even taking into account differences in research fields, institutional finances, and compensation systems, the gap between government-funded research institutes was considerable.

The departure of researchers was also pronounced. In 2025, 155 research staff members voluntarily left government-funded institutes, including 91 in their 30s and 46 in their 40s. Those in their 30s and 40s accounted for 88.4% of all departures, the highest proportion on record.

From 2017 through June 2026, a total of 1,487 research staff members voluntarily left, 84.6% of them in their 30s and 40s. The average tenure was 4.3 years for departing researchers in their 30s and 9.9 years for those in their 40s. This indicates that quite a few researchers move to other workplaces relatively early in their careers, after gaining research experience at government-funded institutes.

Universities and other academic institutions were the most common destination. Over the past 10 years, 62.7% of departing researchers in their 30s and 64.6% of those in their 40s moved to academia.

"It's not just about salaries"... Improving research conditions is also urgent

Researchers' decisions to leave government-funded institutes are likely driven by a combination of factors, including not only compensation but also the research autonomy, working conditions, and career development opportunities available at universities.

Inside a laboratory at a government-funded research institute. No researchers are visible in the space, which is filled with experimental equipment and research supplies. As researchers in their 30s and 40s have continued to leave government-funded research institutes, calls have grown for improvements in pay and research conditions. Reporter Kim Jonghwa.

As researchers who have built up experience at government-funded institutes conducting national R&D continue to move to universities, concerns are growing about the continuity of long-term research projects and the retention of research capabilities. In particular, there are calls to create an environment where researchers can focus on their work over the long term, given the significant disparities in compensation among institutes.

Assemblywoman Lee Juhee said, "Competition to attract talent from private companies is growing increasingly fierce. If pay gaps between government-funded research institutes are also left unaddressed, institutes offering lower compensation will inevitably struggle to retain staff. The Ministry of Science and ICT and NST should review compensation at each institute and develop a comprehensive plan to raise and standardize compensation across government-funded research institutes."

Assemblyman Kim Namguk also said, "Researchers in their 30s and 40s are key personnel who will shape the future of national R&D. The fact that they are unable to put down roots at government-funded research institutes and are leaving must be treated as a serious issue for the country's science and technology competitiveness. We must take active steps to improve compensation and create a stable research environment so that outstanding researchers can focus on their work with a long-term vision."

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