There is no such thing as ”K-science”... National vision for basic research is ”not optional, but essential” - South Korean media editorial

This year, there were no Koreans among the Nobel Prize winners. By nationality, four Americans, two Japanese, one British, one French, and one Australian won the prize.
There are six universities and research institutes in the United States, two in Japan, and one in Australia. Korea has recently been gaining attention worldwide for its achievements in various fields, and the term "K-" has become popular.
However, it has been proven once again that this does not work when it comes to science. Every year when the Nobel Prize is announced, there is a custom of analyzing the reasons for the failure to win the prize, saying "This time too...", and calling for the creation of countermeasures.
It has become a regular event, and this year was no exception. Recently, such appeals have calmed down, but "the achievements of the Nobel Prize in Science are one of the important indicators of the level of basic research."
In light of this, our government and academic societies should now have a different sense of crisis than before. On the other hand, in contrast to us, Japan has produced two laureates this year.
A total of 27 people have been awarded science prizes, including 12 in physics, 9 in chemistry, and 6 in physiology and medicine. According to Japanese media, the two winners this year faced criticism in the early days because their research was so original.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "In the world of science, results are often not achieved in a short period of time. At the time of research, it is unclear which part will be useful, and there are few cases where it is discovered later that it can be applied.
"The foundation of Japan's scientific development lies in the government's long-term planning and investment, the academic culture that encourages creative and persistent research, and organic cooperation between industry, academia, and government," the article said.
That is the analysis of the Japanese media. The Lee Jae-myung administration has compiled a national research and development (R&D) budget for next year at a record high, up 19.3 percentage points from last year.
This is a welcome development considering the controversial cuts made in the previous year, but it is still insufficient in many ways. Professor Shimon Sakaguchi of Osaka University, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, called on the Japanese government to "reinforce the foundations of basic science."
"There is not enough support," he said, pointing out that "it is one-third the level of Germany." Japanese media has also pointed out that "the number of young researchers and influential papers is decreasing."
Given this situation, long-term investment in basic research and a national vision to achieve the world's highest standards are now "not an option but a necessity."