National Assembly passes bill to mandate KAIST board meeting minutes

The National Assembly passed a revised bill mandating that the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology create and disclose official minutes of its board meetings.

Current regulations require KAIST to maintain a board of directors to deliberate on major operational matters but lack specific provisions regarding the creation and publication of meeting records. Rep. Choi Min-hee and 10 co-sponsors originally proposed the legislation on April 15 last year. The Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee reviewed the proposal before it reached the plenary session, where it was approved with modifications on the 23rd.

The revised law imposes a statutory obligation on the KAIST board to produce minutes containing specified essential items for every session. It also defines the general principle of disclosing these records to the public while outlining exceptional circumstances under which certain information may remain confidential.

Sponsors cited the need to secure transparency and accountability in the decision-making processes of the institute. The bill proponents argued that public verification of these deliberations is essential for strengthening national innovation capabilities, particularly amid recent expansions in state research and development investment. KAIST operates as a special national university tasked with cultivating science and technology talent and conducting research driven by national policy.