South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT selected 4 winners for the second Special Achievement Bonus Awards and held a ceremony the previous day, it said on May 19.

The 4 winners were divided into two areas. For "restoring the basic research ecosystem and establishing a system to spread outcomes," the ministry selected senior officer Kim Sang-young (김상영) and director Cho Jong-young (조종영). For "creating an AI-friendly Korean-style regulatory environment for data use," it selected team leader Yoo Kyung-tae (유경태), who is seconded to the National AI Strategy Committee, and deputy director Lee Sang-beom (이상범).

Starting with this round of awards, staff seconded to other agencies were also included as eligible recipients. The ministry explained that seconding agencies had been limited in their ability to properly reward achievements because they lacked their own awards budgets.

Kim restored the Basic Research Program to provide stable research opportunities for newly appointed faculty members and researchers returning after career breaks. He also created a "return-recruitment track" in the Sejong Science Fellowship to support the return of overseas Korean researchers to South Korea. Cho led the development of measures to foster the basic research ecosystem and played a leading role in spreading outcomes using social media and other channels.

Yoo proposed policy ideas to promote data use, including personal information and copyright, laying the groundwork for a Korean-style framework to resolve regulatory issues. Lee directly led the collection of stakeholder views by taking public submissions and planning open meetings with related associations and organisations.

The ministry previously selected 4 civil servants in February in the first round of awards for contributions to the Korean-style AI foundation model project and to responding to a fire at the National Information Resources Service. It was later selected in April by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as an "excellent institution in operating the Special Achievement Bonus Awards."

Vice Prime Minister and Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon (배경훈) said it was important to create an environment where civil servants who work hard and deliver results can sustain their passion. He said rewards would be provided whenever staff deliver results, wherever they work.