Korean Universities Lure Tech Giants with Research Autonomy

In August of this year, Sungkyunkwan University hired an engineer who previously worked at a major U.S. technology company and was involved ...

In August of this year, Sungkyunkwan University hired an engineer who previously worked at a major U.S. technology company and was involved in creating a humanoid robot, appointing him as a professor in the College of Engineering.

To attract an "up-and-coming star" in the robotics field, the university created a new robotics department and modified its faculty hiring process by eliminating the required "paper review." Instead, during the interview, they assessed the engineer's technical skills by watching a video showcasing the robot in action. They also permitted him to continue working at a major U.S. tech company until February of the following year before he would start at the university in Korea. A university representative stated, "Although the annual salary is lower than what he would earn at a U.S. tech giant, we managed to hire him by offering the research environment he wanted. The engineer also showed high hopes, stating, 'I will develop our own humanoid robot within two years.'"

Domestic universities have consistently failed to draw global talent because of lower pay and less favorable working conditions when compared to institutions in the U.S., China, and Europe. They also had difficulty in keeping Korean professors from seeking jobs abroad. Confronted with a crisis as Chinese, Singaporean, and Hong Kong universities rapidly gained prominence by attracting top professionals with government backing, Korean universities restructured their hiring approaches. Rather than focusing on high salaries, they utilized every available method and resource, including permitting temporary dual appointments, offering state-of-the-art research facilities, and reforming faculty selection processes. Over time, achievements such as those seen at Sungkyunkwan University are beginning to emerge.

Baek Sang-hoon, the vice president for academic affairs at Sungkyunkwan University (an education professor), stated, "For new professors, although high salaries are significant when changing jobs, they also place importance on how much they can develop as scholars through various research opportunities. To attract these emerging academics, university leadership needs to seriously consider and implement practical hiring strategies at the institutional level."

◇"Lower Pay, But You Have the Freedom to Conduct the Research You Desire"

Professor Kang Sung-hoon, 51, previously affiliated with Johns Hopkins University in the United States, joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST in August of last year. Despite his move to KAIST, he continues to engage in research activities at his former U.S. university. KAIST permitted him to maintain a dual position in order to finish his ongoing projects at Johns Hopkins. This was an exception to standard practice aimed at retaining his expertise. A prominent expert in bio-inspired materials, including bone-like biomaterials, Professor Kang has authored five articles in prestigious international journals such as *Nature* and *Science*, along with 65 papers in SCI-indexed journals, which are ranked within the top 10% globally. Initially, he was reluctant to relocate due to lower pay and working conditions compared to American institutions. However, after KAIST assured him of the best possible research environment—including expensive experimental equipment and housing assistance—and allowed him to keep his concurrent role for more than a year, he ultimately decided to move.

Lee Gyun-min, vice president for academic affairs at KAIST, stated, "Professors are primarily focused on sustaining their ongoing research when they switch jobs. Our approach is entirely centered on preserving the 'research capabilities' of newly hired professors." He further mentioned, "When we recently hired two professors from abroad, we also welcomed 20 of their graduate students, which greatly enhanced our achievements." Other local universities, such as Sungkyunkwan, are increasingly permitting dual appointments to draw in leading faculty members.

In the past, it was extremely difficult for South Korean universities to attract high-level researchers from American and European institutions or major technology companies. When renowned professors did join, they typically held short-term positions before retiring or occasionally taught online classes for local students while remaining overseas. In many instances, significant investments were made in recruiting international talent, yet these efforts did not lead to better research results.

Nevertheless, recent customized approaches—like offering ideal research settings according to the target's requirements—have started to show positive results. Significantly, the rise in young professors in their 30s and 40s, who are able to keep contributing to the local academic sector, is promising. Even though overseas professors who have recently relocated to Korea often experience a 50–60% drop in salary, many remain pleased with the research atmosphere.

Professor Kang Seung-goo, 52, from the Department of Nano Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, relocated to Korea from IBM Research, a division of IBM, early last year, with his salary decreasing to one-third of what it was before. Professor Kang, who was awarded the "Outstanding Researcher Award" six times—reserved for the top 1% of researchers at IBM—created AI-based research that cuts new drug development time in half by analyzing millions of chemical compounds. Following Google scientists winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2023 for AI-based protein structure prediction, AI-driven drug research has received even more attention. Despite his high market value, Professor Kang decided to work in Korea. He mentioned, "Sungkyunkwan University already has or plans to soon introduce advanced analytical equipment such as supercomputers and electron microscopes needed for AI-based drug research. Moreover, Korea's extensive hospital infrastructure for clinical research was attractive." Yonsei University also hired AI expert Professor Lee Bong-shin, previously from Microsoft Research, by offering incentives, research funding, and lecture adjustments for the next three years.

To make up for lower wages and working conditions when compared to foreign universities, government support is also being used. POSTECH recently hired Dr. Choi Young-jun, 35, from Caltech in the U.S., who has authored four papers in *Nature*. The university offered 3 billion Korean won in research startup funds via initiatives such as the National Research Foundation’s overseas talent recruitment program.

Universities are also actively utilizing "startup support" to attract leading researchers. While major tech companies in Silicon Valley offer high salaries, they limit researchers to specific projects and prevent them from starting their own ventures. Korean universities take advantage of this by emphasizing their startup support policies when hiring researchers from the corporate sector. Professor Lee Ki-min, 37, from KAIST's AI Graduate School, left Google Research, a subsidiary of Google focused on AI and scientific R&D, in August 2023. Although OpenAI also extended an offer to him, he opted for KAIST. The university's commitment to providing dedicated space for startups and administrative assistance to obtain initial funding proved successful. Professor Lee stated, "While salary is important, researchers also want the opportunity to start their own businesses using their expertise. Although my salary dropped significantly after moving to KAIST, I am content because I can pursue the research I desire and have startup possibilities." He is currently involved in a university-based startup led by a KAIST colleague.