The five countries account for 62.2% of foreign researchers in the East Asian nation, the report showed.

The report said as of November, up to 22,000 foreign scientific researchers had registered to join the Korean government’s research and development (R&D) projects, equivalent to 3.2% of the total scientific researchers in the country.   

Of the number, 1,263 foreign researchers participate in projects included in the 12 key national strategic technologies, with advanced biotechnology being most attractive.

Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Joo Young Chang stressed that the most important condition to ensure technological sovereignty in the era of competition for technological leadership globally lies with scientific and technological talents.

Therefore, the RoK needs to establish a research and analysis system that can accurately predict and comprehensively analyse the current state of science and technology human resources at home and abroad, he said./.VNA