Scientists Fleeing Country Lose Scientific Dominance

During graduate school, low wages often made survival a key concern. Many colleagues from modest backgrounds faced similar challenges. The belief that "becoming a professor would bring stability and prestige" began to fade as more individuals opted for corporate jobs. At a recent reunion, a friend who completed postdoctoral studies abroad and was appointed as an assistant professor at a prestigious private university shared a starting salary of 70 million Korean won. The reaction was one of shock. Even more surprising was the revelation that Seoul National University assistant professors had seen their starting salaries remain stagnant in the 60 million range for over a decade.

Top talent does not stay where compensation is cut. As highlighted by KBS’s “War on Talent,” elite professionals are increasingly moving toward medical schools. Current researchers admit, “I’m considering discouraging my child from pursuing engineering.” They understand better than anyone that dedication to research does not always lead to a stable life. For engineering students, the question “Why didn’t you go to medical school with such grades?” is a daily reality.

In contrast, China presents a different scenario. Indigenous engineers like DeepSeek founder Liang Wenpeng, without overseas study experience, have thrived. Universities such as Tsinghua and Peking offer top-tier research environments for gifted students. Treating scientists as heroes has fueled explosive tech entrepreneurship. The U.S. follows a similar pattern: many Stanford and MIT graduates pursue PhDs or startups. Forbes’s “30 Under 30” list consistently features scientists and entrepreneurs. Global markets reward top talent with astronomical compensation—Google AI researchers earn tens to hundreds of billions of Korean won annually. Japan is investing 1 trillion Korean won into university funds to attract overseas AI talent, while the U.S. and European countries operate AI research packages worth hundreds of billions. In comparison, South Korea’s new AI projects receive only 2 billion Korean won over three years, most of which is allocated to research funds.

Scholars need the freedom to envision the future for groundbreaking research. Low wages increase reliance on project-based funding and push academics toward external activities. Over 50 Seoul National University engineering professors have left for better conditions in the past four years. Chinese headhunters constantly recruit domestic Ph.D.-level talent. Labeling professors’ salary increases as “greed of the privileged” risks stagnating academia—repeating the collapse of engineering fields during the IMF crisis.

The government announced a 35 trillion Korean won R&D investment next year and the phased abolition of PBS (project-based system), a long-standing demand of the scientific community. This is highly welcome. However, to leap into a science powerhouse, realistic compensation for early-career professors is essential. Research funds are exhausted per project, but stable income enables sustained focus. Raising salaries for Seoul National University and national engineering professors would ripple through the entire scientific sector. It would lift wages at private universities and government-funded research institutes, stem the exodus of young researchers, and signal to graduate students that “academia can be a viable career.” Industries would also compete to secure talent—elevating the entire ecosystem.

The issue lies in the personnel cost structure. Seoul National University professors are legally affiliated with the university but follow a civil servant-style seniority-based pay system, with budgets dependent on the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This structure hinders autonomous compensation. If immediate reform is difficult, I propose introducing a transparent reward system: selective grants for new professors in national strategic fields like semiconductors, AI, and biotechnology. The UK, Canada, and Singapore operate similar systems. Additionally, universities should establish performance-based matching funds to create a cycle where achievements translate into rewards. Basic science, often overlooked, requires separate ecosystems with stable support and enhanced performance-based incentives. Mission-driven passion alone has limits. Make no mistake: “courage to fail” without compensation does not exist.