[Digital Today reporter Jin-ho Lee (이진호)] South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said on Jan. 22 it held the second "SME R&D Dialogue Meeting to Open the Future," bringing together Park In-gyu (박인규), head of the Science and Technology Innovation Office, and leaders of SME associations and groups related to R&D.

The SME R&D dialogue meeting is an event where leaders of SME associations and groups discuss difficulties in carrying out corporate R&D and seek solutions. It serves as a channel for communication between the government and SMEs, regularly sharing information and collecting suggestions.

The meeting, held at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul, proceeded to an open discussion with the federation after an introduction to the Science and Technology Innovation Office's "outline of measures to innovate the R&D ecosystem and corporate support measures." The ministry previously presented measures including diversifying support methods that consider corporate characteristics, fostering strategic technologies and measures for cooperative growth between large and small companies through last year's announcement of "R&D ecosystem innovation measures."

In the open discussion, all participants shared their views on "measures to improve the R&D system for the SME sector." Participants agreed on the difficulties facing industry due to a high exchange rate and a global economic downturn, and on the need to strengthen support for corporate R&D to overcome them. They also asked the Science and Technology Innovation Office, which oversees national R&D policy, to take the lead in drawing interministerial cooperation and creating changes people can feel.

Park said, "We will continue to consider support measures in various ways to strengthen SMEs' R&D capabilities," and added, "We plan to expand the scope of communication so we can hear from a wider range of industries."