Foreign Researchers Added to Classified Korean R&D Projects Without Required Security Clearance
Data shows only two of 33,256 TIPA R&D projects were classified as security tasks, and both involved foreign researchers who bypassed mandatory security checks.
A lawmaker obtained data from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and TIPA revealing that only two of the 33,256 research and development projects overseen by the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs were designated as security tasks, and both featured foreign researchers who had not completed the mandated security procedures. The first project, focused on next-generation lithium rechargeable batteries, added a Pakistani postdoctoral researcher without internal review, ministry consent, or notification to the National Intelligence Service; the researcher was removed on Sept. 21 after the issue was raised.
The second project, initially a general R&D effort, was later re-classified as a security task, involving two Ethiopian researchers; TIPA only learned of the re-classification in late September and plans to exclude the researchers from Oct. 1. The lawmaker called the agency’s handling a dereliction of duty and urged a comprehensive review and stricter penalties for future violations.
Why it matters
It reveals gaps in South Korea’s oversight of sensitive R&D, risking leakage of core technologies.
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