- Eight university and graduate students selected to report directly from research support sites
- R&D policies and outcomes to be delivered as digital content accessible to general audiences
![Members of Neulproom, the inaugural class of the National Research Foundation of Korea's youth social media supporters group, pose for a photo at the group's launch ceremony. [National Research Foundation of Korea]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/30/news-p.v1.20260930.3088ef278b2f4067ba3466d64522cdfb_P1.jpg)
The National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) is stepping up its public outreach by enlisting university students to communicate the foundation's research and development support policies and achievements to a broader audience.
The NRF held a launch ceremony Tuesday at its Seoul office for Neulproom, the first class of its new youth supporters program.
The name "Neulproom" blends the foundation's English acronym, NRF, with the concept of a "newsroom" — a space for reporting and communication. Eight undergraduate and graduate students will take part, covering the research projects and academic ecosystem the NRF supports and presenting their findings in ways accessible to the general public.
The NRF restructured its existing civic participation group into a university student-centered supporters program, reflecting the rapidly shifting media landscape and the growing influence of digital content among younger generations.
The program places particular emphasis on going beyond a conventional press corps that simply reports institutional news. Members are expected to serve as ambassadors — directly experiencing and promoting research support projects, policies and outcomes. Stories they uncover from research sites will be produced and distributed across a range of digital content formats.
The restructuring also reflects the NRF's ambition to extend its role as a research support agency into the realm of public communication. Beyond supporting research and development and talent cultivation in science, technology, and the humanities and social sciences, the foundation aims to help the public understand the value and social significance of research outcomes and connect them to results people can experience firsthand.
The launch ceremony was attended by the eight newly selected supporters and NRF youth interns. Training sessions on content production were also held, with career consultants and science journalists taking part.
"Neulproom members are ambassadors who discover the vivid moments hidden within the NRF's support and efforts and convey them in approachable language," NRF President Hong Won-hwa said. "I hope their young perspective will serve as a bridge of communication between the NRF and the public."
nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com
