The Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) is expected to remain under the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities, and Social Sciences (NRCS), which operates under the Prime Minister's Office. The Prime Minister's Office is also considering consolidating inefficient state-run research institutions as part of this review.
"There are institutions that provide agile research and timely theoretical support even without being directly under a ministry, like the Korea Development Institute," a Prime Minister's Office official said Wednesday.
KDI, which handles policy research in economics, industry, and trade, is also affiliated with the NRCS.
Earlier, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young requested President Lee Jae-myung during a December briefing to transfer KINU to the Ministry of Unification. Lee responded that the suggestion "makes sense" and instructed the Prime Minister's Office to review the matter.
However, the review found insufficient legal grounds for the transfer, sources said. Under Article 3 of the Act on the Establishment, Operation, and Fostering of Government-funded Research Institutions enacted in January 1999, all non-science research institutions can only be established under this law. This provision served as the legal basis for consolidating state-run research institutions, including KINU which was then under the Unification Ministry, under the NRCS.
Despite this, many ministries have established their own research institutions through separate legislation. The Prime Minister's Office views such cases as "circumventing the law." This explains why the Unification Ministry withdrew its legislative notice for the "KINU Establishment Act" on January 17, just three days after announcing it on January 14, citing the need for "sufficient consultation with related agencies."
The Prime Minister's Office believes that while research institutions established through such workarounds can be transferred to the NRCS if their necessity is proven, inefficient institutions should be boldly restructured. President Lee said in August last year, "There are so many public institutions that I can't even count them," adding that "large-scale consolidation of public institutions seems necessary."
Concerns about autonomy and independence that KINU initially raised as grounds against the transfer were also reportedly considered. A university professor with extensive experience working with ministries and state-run research institutions noted, "Once transferred under a ministry, so-called 'demand-driven projects' that cater to the ministry's preferences become the top priority. Research institute directors have no choice but to watch the minister's every move."
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said at a press conference at his official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on January 2, "The decision on whether to transfer to the Unification Ministry should respect the original intent of reorganizing under the NRCS while also considering the treatment of KINU staff." He added, "I will meet with NRCS Chairman Lee Han-joo soon to finalize the matter."