Academic Culture Stalls South Korea's Deep-Tech Scale-Up
Experts warn that prioritizing academic papers over patents hinders the commercialization of university-led research despite massive R&D spending.
South Korea is struggling to translate massive research investments into global deep-tech companies due to a systemic culture that prioritizes academic prestige over commercial viability. Experts warn that without a fundamental shift in how universities approach intellectual property, the nation risks wasting its R&D potential.
At a recent roundtable in Seoul hosted by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), titled "From the lab to corporations that change the world — Korea's deep-tech scale-up strategy toward a second Google," academics from leading institutions including KAIST, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, and POSTECH highlighted a critical gap in the innovation pipeline. While South Korea invests approximately 40 trillion won annually in national R&D, the transition from laboratory discovery to market-ready product remains sluggish.
The Publication Trap
A primary obstacle identified by the panel is the prevailing academic incentive structure. Currently, faculty and students are driven by publication metrics—such as paper counts and impact factors—rather than the securing of patents. Experts argued that technologies with high commercialization potential must follow a "patent first, paper later" principle to ensure intellectual property is secured before it enters the public domain via academic journals.
This cultural misalignment extends to the workforce. Data shows a stark reluctance among young researchers to enter the entrepreneurial ecosystem; only 1.6% of researchers choose startups as their preferred career path after graduation. In contrast, 80-90% prefer traditional roles in universities, research institutes, or private laboratories.
Structural Barriers to Scaling
The "concurrent position" model, where faculty members balance teaching and research with company leadership, further hampers growth. In 2023, only four out of 1,365 faculty founders took a leave of absence to focus exclusively on their startups. This lack of dedicated leadership prevents the aggressive focus required to scale a deep-tech venture into a global competitor.
Research and development cannot be measured by the same standards. The goal of research is to create new knowledge, while the goal of development is to create products and generate revenue; the panel emphasized that these two objectives must not be managed by the same yardstick.
The Cost of Inaction
If the current trajectory continues, Korea risks losing its core technologies to larger corporations through royalty-free licenses or failing to launch competitive global entities. The panel warned that the difficulties facing university lab startups have remained largely unchanged for two decades despite expanded government funding.
Looking ahead, the KAST experts called for structural changes to how faculty engage in entrepreneurship and a professionalization of support for finance and marketing within university settings. Without immediate reform, experts warn the nation will face the same systemic failures 20 years from now.