An Experience of Science Communication in Korea: The Space-Sharing Project with Mass Media

Abstract

Korea’s success is attributed to outstanding human resources and highly competitive science & technology (S&T). However, two serious social issues relating to S&T occurred in 2002: youth did not want to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at college level, and scientists had lost their eagerness to do future research. There were many heated debates and serious discussions to find long-term as well as short-term remedies for those problems. The direct and immediate response was the start of Science Korea Movement to enhance public awareness of the importance of S&T. Ten projects were proposed, of which the Space-sharing Project, which published a newspaper science section once a week, was the most successful. During the 18 months of the Project, the science section attracted great attention not only from scientific communities but also from Korean society at large. Many topics relating to S&T which were rarely covered in mass media were dealt with and many of the debates were resolved during or after the Project. Also, project stakeholders gained benefits in one way or another. The Space-sharing Project was unique in that it was strongly government-driven and was based on the social consensus among the Korean people. However, it also had some limitations in the issues of sustainability as well as motivation.