South Korea’s Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning not only heaved a sigh of relief but was in a celebratory mood Monday as it was granted a new arm for innovation as part of the administration’s reorganization plan.

The ICT Ministry, which was rumored to face a disbandment upon the new administration for having been the brainchild of jailed former President Park Geun-hye in her “creative economy” drive, welcomed the reorganization agreement between the government and the ruling party, that would have the ministry gain power across the entire science and technology arenas.

According to the plan, the new Science, Technology and Innovation Office will have three bureaus in charge of policymaking for science and technology, deliberating R&D investments and evaluating achievements. The new vice minister-level official to be in charge will be opened for applications from experts in the private sector.

The ICT Ministry, instead, will transfer its supporting function for startups to a newly created branch for small and venture firms.

“It was predictable that the ministry’s role as the control tower for science and technology would be strengthened from the president’s campaign pledges,” said a ministry official. “With the new office, the ministry will have an enhanced power on budgeting R&D investments, which was solely planned by the Finance Ministry.”

There were expectations that the ICT Ministry would be renamed, removing the “Creative” in its Korean indication, but details are not yet confirmed.

If the agreement is passed through the National Assembly, the ICT Ministry will be the biggest in size compared to similar ministries in past administrations.

During the former Roh Moo-hyun government, there was a deputy prime minister-led science and technology ministry but it did not encompass the fields of ICT.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)