[THE INVESTOR] With aims to promote collaborative study and innovation, the South Korean government plans to allow wider access to an internet site for information on state research and development projects next year, the science ministry said Aug. 17.

Starting Jan. 1, the public will be allowed to download information on state R&D projects from the National Science & Technology Information Service, which has been reserved for universities, state-funded think tanks and business members.

Currently, the general public is permitted to conduct only inquiries and searches on the site that provides some 5 million kernels of information on state R&D projects, tasks, personnel, research facilities, equipment and performances.

The ministry said a state R&D information management committee held a meeting the previous day to finalize a plan to expand the disclosure of government-financed R&D projects.

“The government will develop the NTIS into a portal that can effectively help researchers collaborate with one another and promote corporate innovation by providing businesses with information on necessary researchers and technologies,” said Hong Nam-ki, vice minister of science, ICT and future planning.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)