New National Science Museum chief vows to lead innovation with creative ideas

"I will do my utmost to help the National Science Museum of Korea nurture the next generation of scientists and grow into a world-class institution loved by the public."

Lee Eun-young took office Tuesday as the 47th director of the National Science Museum of Korea, becoming the first woman to lead the institution since its founding. Lee graduated from Seoul National University and earned a master's degree in public administration from the London School of Economics before entering the civil service through the 43rd Administrative Examination.

She has been recognized as a leading expert in science and technology policy and planning, having served in a series of senior posts. These include becoming the first woman promoted to senior administrator at the Ministry of Science and ICT, and heading the Convergence Technology Division, Future Technology Division, Software Industry Division, and Performance Evaluation Policy Division, as well as serving as director of the Research Performance Innovation Office.

Lee said she would transform the museum into a platform connecting science and technology with the public — "a science museum that every generation will want to come back to" — in line with the demands of a changing era.

She outlined three core priorities to achieve that goal: expanding visitor-led hands-on experiences, preparing for a super-aged society and the museum's centennial, and building an organizational culture of open communication.

On the first priority, she plans to expand interactive exhibitions and education programs that let visitors touch, operate and experiment with exhibits to discover underlying principles firsthand, and to share those programs with other science museums.

Beyond the quantitative goal of reaching 1 million visitors a year, Lee also aims to define a new role for the museum in response to shifting demographic trends. She plans to actively pursue collaboration with fields such as art and culture, and to develop a long-term vision with staff ahead of the museum's centennial.

She also said she would create an environment where employees' creative ideas are realized through collaboration with colleagues and naturally translate into results for both individuals and the organization.

"I will work together with all of you to find ways for the public to easily and joyfully experience the science and technology born from the sweat and determination of countless researchers," Lee said.