Science Museum
The National Science Museum and the Seoul Science Museum operate exhibition halls throughout the year that display the articles related to science and industrial technology, natural history and others. These museums are equipped with planetarium, astrovision, and multi-image system facilities.
The museums sponsor special science fairs such as the National Science Fair and the National Students Science Invention Contest that are held every year. Off-campus science activities, such as science experiment classes, computer classes, and model science kit explorations, are also organized by the museums for young students. The museums also collect, preserve, study and exhibit materials in the fields of science, technology, industry and natural history.
Programs of the Korea Science Foundation
The Korea Science Foundation, a non-profit organization, is running the following science programs especially for the youth.
The National Youth Science Contest has been held since 1983 to arouse youth's interest in science and technology. This contest, in which about
12,700 students nation-wide participate, includes competition in model airplanes, science kits, electrical science experiments, and science drawings.
Science mobiles, moving science classes, visit primary schools in the countryside where there is a lack of scientific educational equipment. Science mobiles are equipped with experimental equipment, materials, and films, among other things. There are currently four science mobiles in operation.
The science films library is in operation to provide science films to educational broadcasting stations, primary, middle and high schools, and others. The library has 270 science films in supply as of 1995.
The Korea Science Foundation also provides science books and science journals, and other science booklets to primary, middle, and high schools free of charge. In 1995, 46,400 science books were supplied to those schools.
Awards for Scientists & Engineers
In order to enhance the general public's recognition of science and technology, the government established the Korea Science Award Program in 1987 for those scientists who make an extraordinary contribution to scientific development. Scientists in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences are awarded every two years. In addition to the Korea Science Award Program, an Engineer Award Program was set up in 1994 to reward engineers for excellence in the fields of applied science and engineering.To encourage industrial technology development, the "IR52 Award" (industrial research, fifty-two weeks a year) was created in 1991. Awards have been given to the private sector once a week to honor excellence in the field of industrial technology development. The "Venture Enterpreneurship Award" was established in the same year also to award the venture businesses that successfully commercialize new technology.
Science Towns
Science towns will be constructed in five provincial areas to foster research and development, education, and industrial research activities. Each town will be constructed so that it can be closely linked to industries and institutions of higher education of the region.
The blueprint for the Taedok Science Town, the first science town in Korea, was completed in December 1973. It was constructed to serve as linkage between research institutes and universities and industries. After twenty years since its construction, the town now acts as the very center of science and technology in Korea. Currently, Taedok Science Town accommodates 52 organizations: 5 government agencies, including the National Science Museum and 17 government-supported agencies such as the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 6 government-invested institutes, including the Korea Security Printing & Minting Corporation Research Institutes, 21 private research institutes, and 3 educational institutions, including KAIST. And 15 additional institutes, including 4 government institutes, 9 private research institutes and 2 government-supported institutes are now ready to move in. Furthermore, the "Advanced Medical Complex" is scheduled to be completed by 2001. The complex will consist of a general hospital, a research hospital, and a medical school. Another science town in Kwangju was designated as the base for high technology. The basic development plan was completed and approved by the government in 1991. The town is scheduled to be completed by 2001.
Construction of the other four science towns in Pusan, Taegu, Chunju, and Kangleung will be carried out by the local governments. The basic plans of local industrial complexes were completed between 1990 and 1991. Under the support of the central government, each local government will complete the projects by 2001.
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