New security tier for sensitive research

The science ministry said the Cabinet approved rules taking effect Aug. 20 that create a sensitive category for national research projects.

The ministry said research security has become more important amid intensifying technology competition, but a blanket expansion of tightly controlled security projects could burden the field. The new category is meant to balance security measures proportionate to risk with research autonomy.

Sensitive projects will sit between ordinary and security-designated projects, with classification based on national security, foreign-policy strategy and a technology's economic value. International collaboration remains permitted for sensitive projects, but additional procedures are required to prevent core technology information from leaking overseas.

The rules broaden security-plan requirements to organizations running security or sensitive projects, government-funded and specified research institutes, national and public research laboratories, and universities receiving at least 30 billion won in annual government research funding. Covered institutions must designate security officers, train staff and manage foreign participation and contacts.

The rules define disclosures or leaks from security and sensitive projects, failure to comply with security-measure orders, and unapproved transfers of ownership of research results from security projects as research-security misconduct. Violations can bring participation limits and penalty surcharges.

"The legal revision clarifies research-security management standards and builds a security framework encompassing potentially important technologies," said Hong Soon-jung, director general for performance evaluation policy at the science ministry.

KAIST and Chung-Ang University began operating research-security centers in April. The ministry plans briefings for universities, government-funded research institutes and specialist agencies in August and September, followed by security guidelines and classification manuals by October. It is also considering incentives for researchers conducting security and sensitive projects.