Seoul: With the announcement of the Nobel Prizes in October, Korea once again finds itself reflecting on the achievements of its neighbor, Japan. Over the recent Chuseok holiday, Japanese scholars were announced as co-winners of both the medicine and chemistry prizes, continuing Japan’s strong tradition in the sciences. Since Hideki Yukawa’s physics prize in 1949, Japan has produced 27 Nobel laureates in the scientific fields.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this year saw Osaka University’s Shimon Sakaguchi sharing the physiology or medicine prize and Kyoto University’s Susumu Kitagawa being honored with the chemistry prize. Sakaguchi’s work on regulatory T cells has opened new avenues for treating autoimmune diseases, while Kitagawa’s advancements in metal-organic frameworks have enabled the development of materials capable of extracting water from even the driest air.
Each year, Korea experiences what is termed “Nobel fever,” especially when Japanese laureates are announced. The recurrent question arises: why not Korea? Japan’s success can be attributed to its sustained and early investment in basic science, as seen with the establishment of RIKEN, its flagship institute, in 1917. Japan’s first Nobel Prize in 1949 was the result of decades of scientific effort, and successive policy plans have continued to nurture this tradition, setting targets in the early 2000s to foster dozens of laureates over time.
Korea, on the other hand, established the Institute for Basic Science in 2011, inspired by RIKEN. However, inconsistent support due to changing governments and significant cuts in research and development funding by previous administrations have stalled progress. The medical school boom has diverted talent away from science and engineering fields, and the country’s shrinking birthrate further reduces the pool of future researchers. To overcome these challenges, Korea needs stable funding and a culture that prioritizes scientific research.
Korea’s historical focus on technology and industry as a strategy to rise from colonial rule and war boosted per capita income significantly. However, the next phase of growth requires breakthroughs in physics, chemistry, and biomedicine, which demand patience, stable institutions, and a tolerance for failure. Basic research must be shielded from political cycles and valued for discovery as much as commercialization.
Policy reforms are also necessary to connect the laboratory and the marketplace. Korea must establish reliable pathways from government labs and universities to startups and industries, supported by intellectual property and financial frameworks that encourage innovation without compromising scientific integrity. Despite Japan’s Nobel achievements, its quest for new growth avenues serves as a reminder that prestige alone is insufficient.
While Nobel Prizes do not guarantee economic prosperity, nations that aspire to achieve them typically uphold the values of curiosity, methodological rigor, and time. Respect for scientists, consistent support, and patient investment in scientific research are not mere luxuries but essential conditions for producing future laureates and shaping Korea’s next economic chapter.