``To Train 400,000 IT-BT Experts``

The government decided to train 400,000 experts in six fields including Information Technology (IT) by investing 2.24 trillion won until 2005.

To accomplish this, the government plans to upgrade the quality of education for 220,000 people who are to be trained in universities and companies and to train additional 180,000.

The government announced yesterday `the comprehensive plan for the training of experts in the national strategic fields` in a meeting of the Minister of Education and Human Resources, presided over by President Kim Dae-Jung and attended by 14 ministers, including Han Wan-Sang, in Cheong Wa Dae.

- Concentration on the training of highly qualified human resources = The government plans to improve the nation`s science-technology competitiveness from the 28th to the 10th in the world in 2006 by establishing a system in which highly qualified human resources –masters and doctoral level- can be trained in the field of advanced industries, such as biotechnology (BT), nano technology (NT), environment technology (ET), satellite technology (ST), and cultural contents (CT).

A total number of 408,479 human resources, including 270,525 in IT, 9,470 in BT, 1,100 in ST, 784 in ET, and 116,100 in CT, are needed by 2005.

The government plans to invest a total amount of 2.24 trillion won, that is, 490 billion won to 590 billion won every year beginning next year until 2005.

- Background behind pushing forward with this new plan = As the demand for human resources in the advanced industry such as IT is explosively increasing worldwide, the U.S. and Japan are making great efforts to secure human resources by allowing unlimited immigration and granting the permanent residence to those who are highly qualified in this field.

Although South Korea has concentrated on investing in the industry and the technology field, the competitiveness of highly qualified human resources who will lead the nation`s competitiveness is weak compared to the growth in terms of quantity because there is no system that can train highly qualified human resources.

Some point out that the government has included similar fields because there is not a clear concept of IT field and because ministries have competitively produced policies without a clear goal.

- Plan by each ministry = The Ministry of Education is considering not to apply the metropolitan area formation plan when universities adjust the student number in the advanced field, and the Ministry is planning to appoint 800 out of 2,000 new national university professors to the national strategic field starting next year for two years.

The Ministry also decided to expand the participation of industrial companies in the universities` masters and doctoral program operation, and to give 300 billion won of study research fund until 2004.

The Ministry of Information and Communication decided to give priority to the IT universities and graduate schools in terms of aid, while the Ministry of Science and Technology decided to increase aids to NT.

inchul@donga.com