Gov`t to spend 1.56 tln won on nurturing engineers, scientists

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to sharply expand its spending
on the nation's engineering and technology sector in 2009 in a bid to become one
of the world's tech leaders, officials said Tuesday.
According to the Education Ministry, the Knowledge Economy Ministry and other
related agencies, the government will spend a total of 1.56 trillion won (US$1.1
billion) on the engineering and technology sector this year, up 14.7 percent from
a year earlier.
The decision was made at an earlier meeting held by the National Science and
Technology Council.
Of the envisioned spending, 715.1 billion won will be used in nurturing
world-class research-focused universities and expanding scholarships to talented
college students majoring in basic science and engineering, they said.
In the environmental sector and others where technology convergence is fast
taking place, the government will inject 438.5 billion won, while 278.6 billion
won will be set aside to provide financial support for professors and
researchers.
To lure qualified foreign researchers and stimulate exchanges with overseas
colleges, the government plans to spend 93.2 billion won, with 34 billion won to
be used in reforming the overall college education system, according to the
ministries.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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