Kim Bok-chul, former NST chief, takes helm of Korea R&D management association

Kim Bok-chul, a special professor at Yonsei University and former chairman of the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST), has taken office as the second president of the Korea Association of Research Management (KARMA).

KARMA said Wednesday that under Kim's leadership it will move to strengthen research management expertise and expand cooperation among industry, academia and research institutions at home and abroad.

Kim, who took office in October, previously served as NST chairman and currently holds a special professorship at Yonsei University.

Kim plans to focus on creating an environment where researchers can concentrate on their work with less administrative burden. To that end, KARMA will work to build the capabilities of R&D management professionals and expand domestic and international cooperation networks.

"As research and development grows more sophisticated, the role of R&D management in supporting researchers so they can focus entirely on their work has never been more important," Kim said. "We will strengthen industry-academia-research cooperation networks, work to develop research management professionals and build a thriving ecosystem, and contribute to advancing the national R&D system."

The association plans to establish an international advisory committee in November, bringing together the heads of major overseas organizations including the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) in the United States, the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA), and the Research Management and Administration Network Japan (RMAN-J).

The association will then host the 2026 Korea R&D Management Conference on Dec. 7-8 at the Institute for Basic Science Science Culture Center in Daejeon. Key institutions from industry, academia and research, along with related academic societies, are expected to participate and discuss ways to drive innovation and strengthen expertise in research management.

Next year, KARMA plans to pursue an MOU with SRAI to broaden cooperation, including mutual membership recognition, information exchange and participation in international events. Over the longer term, the association is also considering a bid to host the 2031 International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) congress in Korea.