Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea)

Administers Korean science and innovation programs across national agencies for small businesses and startups.

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), also known as the Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea), is South Korea’s central federal ministry for science, technology, information and communications, broadcasting, and postal services. It sets national R&D priorities and directs budget coordination for federal technology and innovation programs. MSIT’s position in the Korean research system is strategic rather than narrowly project-specific, with authority to define mission direction and the channels through which public R&D funds flow.

This ministry coordinates delivery through partner agencies such as NRF Korea for basic research, IITP for ICT and AI applied R&D, and KEIT for industrial technology programs. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is separate and appears in the ecosystem through co-management arrangements with KEIT in some industrial contexts.

For applicants, MSIT is most relevant as the policy and strategic allocator behind Korean national innovation architecture. Programmatic execution is often observed through dedicated lines like Korea AI 2026 Strategic R&D and sector agencies in the NRF/IITP/KEIT stack, rather than through a single open general grant desk under this funder entry.