Korea Launches Global AI+S&T Postdoctoral Fellowship

Program InnoCORE Aims to Foster Korea's Next Generation of Science & Technology Leaders

SEOUL, South Korea, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- South Korea has announced a major national initiative to enhance its global competitiveness in AI-convergent science and technology (AI+S&T) by launching a large-scale international postdoctoral recruitment program. The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), in collaboration with the country's four premier science and technology institutes—KAIST, GIST, DGIST, and UNIST—has officially unveiled the InnoCORE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, a global initiative aiming to recruit 400 outstanding postdoctoral researchers.

This initiative is designed to advance frontier research across key sectors—including biomedicine, aerospace, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing—through international collaboration and AI-powered innovation. The program also aims to address domestic brain drain while attracting top-tier global scientific talent. It specifically targets early-career researchers in the postdoctoral stage, with a long-term vision of nurturing the next generation of global leaders in AI+S&T.

To connect with prospective candidates, InnoCORE will host a series of international job fairs at leading innovation hubs:

• Boston on June 18 at Northeastern University
• New York on June 20 at the NYU-KAIST Global Innovation and Research Institute
• Silicon Valley on June 23 at KIC Silicon Valley in San Jose

Each event will feature program briefings and on-site interviews with research groups

Supported by a five-year government investment of approximately USD 222 million, the program offers an annual base salary of USD 66,000 per fellow, with opportunities for additional funding through research and industry partnerships. Fellows will gain access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure in Korea, including supercomputing systems, semiconductor cleanrooms, and biomedical research facilities. A multi-mentor system—comprising domestic and international experts from academia and industry—will provide tailored guidance and support throughout the fellowship period.

The InnoCORE initiative comprises eight research clusters led by the four core institutes, in collaboration with top Korean universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University; major industry partners including Naver, LG, Samsung, and Hyundai; and globally renowned institutions such as MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Oxford, Meta, Google, and IBM Research.

Research focus areas include:

• AI-based drug discovery
• Smart manufacturing
• Large language models (LLMs)
• AI-transformed Aerospace
• AI-nano convergence for detection of Neurodegenerative diseases
• Bio-Embodied Physical AI
• AI-driven Hydrogen Technology
• AI-driven space solar technologies

A Ministry of Science and ICT official stated:

"In the global competition for AI expertise, postdoctoral researchers are strategic assets for national innovation. Through the InnoCORE program, we are committed to creating a world-class research environment and fostering global partnerships that empower early-career scientists to lead transformative breakthroughs in South Korea."

The program is being actively promoted through leading global scientific media, including Nature, Science, and LinkedIn, as well as through diaspora networks such as the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA) and the Korean Scientists and Engineers Network (KOSEN).

Eligible applicants must hold a PhD in a STEM-related field, or be expected to complete their degree by August 2025. Interested candidates may attend one of the InnoCORE global job fairs.

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2025 InnoCORE Global Postdoctoral Job Fair Secretariat
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