The Korea’ Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology has set its research and development budget for 2022 at 23.5 trillion won ($20.7 billion), a 4.6 percent increase compared to this year. The council stressed the importance of securing a lead in global technology, emphasizing the need for speedy investment in securing talent and technology, as a result, the government will invest in 1,182 projects, 233 more than this year. While 21.3 trillion won will be injected into 892 existing projects, the remaining 1.9 trillion won will fund research into 290 new areas. The investment is divided into three major categories — overcoming crisis and economic recovery; science technology and changing the economic structure; and inclusive innovation and quality of life.