ENFORCEMENT DECREE OF THE ACT ON FOSTERING AND SUPPORTING WOMEN SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS

Article 1(Purpose) #

The purpose of this Decree is to provide for matters delegated by the Act on Fostering and Supporting Women Scientists and Technicians and matters necessary for the enforcement thereof.

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 2(Definitions) #

"Persons prescribed by Presidential Decree" in Article 2 of the Act on Fostering and Supporting Women Scientists and Technicians (hereinafter referred to as the "Act") means any of the following women: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Feb. 17, 2022>

1. A woman who holds a degree in science or engineering, conferred by any of the following educational institutions:

(a) A university, industrial college, junior college, distant college, or technical college defined in Article 2 of the Higher Education Act;

(b) A graduate school defined in Article 29 (1) of the Higher Education Act;

(d) A polytechnic college defined in subparagraph 5 of Article 2 of the Act on the Development of Lifelong Vocational Skills of Citizens;

2. A woman who holds a qualification for an industrial engineer defined in Article 9 (1) 1 of the National Technical Qualifications Act or a qualification equivalent or superior thereto;

3. A woman recognized by the Minister of Science and ICT as one who holds any other degree or qualification equivalent to a degree or qualification held by a person specified in subparagraph 1 or 2.

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 3(Master Plans) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT shall establish the goals for, and directions in, medium- and long-term policies for fostering and supporting women in science, engineering, and technology under Article 4 (1) of the Act (hereafter in this Article referred to as "goals for policies, etc."), subject to deliberation by the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology"), and shall notify the heads of related central administrative agencies and the Special Metropolitan City Mayor, Metropolitan City Mayors, Do Governors, and the Special Self-Governing Province Governor (hereinafter referred to as the "Mayors/Do Governors"), of such facts. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Apr. 17, 2018>

(2) The goals for policies, etc. shall include the following matters: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

1. Goals for medium- and long-term policies for fostering and supporting women in science, engineering, and technology, for more than five years;

2. Strategies for attaining goals for medium- and long-term policies under subparagraph 1 and the direction for such strategies;

3. Other tasks that the Minister of Science and ICT deems it necessary in implementing major policies for fostering and supporting women in science, engineering, and technology.

(3) The head of each related central administrative agency and each Mayor/Do Governor (hereafter in this Article and Article 4 referred to as "implementing agencies") shall respectively formulate quinquennial plans and measures for the affairs within the jurisdiction of each of them in connection with the fostering and supporting of women in science, engineering, and technology in accordance with the goals for policies, etc. and shall present them to the Minister of Science and ICT. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(4) The Minister of Science and ICT shall combine and adjust the plans and measures presented by implementing agencies, finalize a master plan for fostering and supporting women in science, engineering, and technology (hereinafter referred to as "master plan"), subject to deliberation by the National Human Resources Committee under Article 7 (1) of the Framework Act on the Development of Human Resources and the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology, and shall notify implementing agencies thereof. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Apr. 17, 2018>

(5) In order to establish the goals for policies, etc., the Minister of Science and ICT may request implementing agencies, etc. to furnish him or her with necessary data. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

Article 4(Implementation Plans) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT shall establish guidelines for the formulation of annual implementation plans under Article 5 (1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as "guidelines for the formulation of implementation plans") for the following year and shall notify implementing agencies of such guidelines by no later than July 31 each year so that implementing agencies can formulate and implement annual implementation plans. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Oct. 4, 2022>

(2) The Minister of Science and ICT may request implementing agencies, etc. to furnish him or her with data necessary for preparing guidelines for the formulation of implementation plans. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(3) Each implementing agency shall formulate implementation plans for the affairs within its jurisdiction in accordance with guidelines for the formulation of implementation plans and submit the implementation plan for the following year to the Minister of Science and ICT by no later than October 15 each year and a report on the results of the implementation of the implementation plan for the preceding year also to the Minister of Science and ICT by no later than January 31 each year. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(4) Upon receipt of implementation plans or reports on implementation under paragraph (3), the Minister of Science and ICT shall combine them in accordance with the relevant master plan, report to the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology thereon, and shall notify implementing agencies of the results thereof. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Apr. 17, 2018>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 5 #

Deleted. <Oct. 4, 2022>

Article 6 #

Deleted. <Oct. 4, 2022>

Article 6-2 #

Deleted. <Oct. 4, 2022>

Article 7 #

Deleted. <Oct. 4, 2022>

Article 8(Subject Matter and Methods of Investigation of Actual Status) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT shall conduct the investigations of actual status under Article 6 of the Act (hereinafter referred to as "investigations of actual status") on the following institutions and shall reflect the outcomes thereof in annual implementation plans, etc. under Article 5 (1) of the Act: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Aug. 31, 2021; Feb. 17, 2022>

1. Research institutes in science and technology:

(a) Research institutes listed in the attached Table of the Act on the Establishment, Operation and Fostering of Government-Funded Science and Technology Research Institutions;

(b) The Agency for Defense Development under the Act on the Agency for Defense Development;

(c) Research institutes under subparagraphs 1 through 5 and 10 of Article 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Specific Research Institutes Support Act;

(d) Science and technology research institutes among national and public research institutes;

(e) Science and technology research institutes among research institutes established in the form of a nonprofit corporation pursuant to the Civil Act or any other statute;

2. Universities, industrial colleges, junior colleges, and technical colleges defined under Article 2 of the Higher Education Act;

3. Polytechnic colleges defined in subparagraph 5 of Article 2 of the Act on the Development of Lifelong Vocational Skills of Citizens;

4. The following public corporations that have a research institute in science and technology among public institutions governed by the Act on the Management of Public Institutions:

(a) The Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation under the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation Act;

(b) The Korea Rural Community Corporation under Article 3 of the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Farmland Management Fund Act;

(d) The Korea National Oil Corporation under the Korea National Oil Corporation Act;

(e) The Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation under the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation Act;

Article 9(Programs for Promotion of Majoring in Science and Technology and Assistance to Such Programs) #

(1) The programs conducted in order to motivate female students to major in science and technology in universities and colleges and work in the fields of science and technology pursuant to Article 7 (1) of the Act shall be as follows:

1. Programs for assisting excellent women in science, engineering, and technology and female students in establishing relationships between them;

2. Programs for female students’ familiarity with science;

3. Programs for guiding female students’ career paths in science and technology;

4. Other programs for the career development of women in science, engineering, and technology, and the promotion of their employment, and the encouragement of their morale.

(2) The following institutions and organizations may operate the programs referred to in paragraph (1): <Amended on Sep. 22, 2016; Feb. 17, 2022>

1. Institutions and organizations under Article 6 (1) 1 through 4 and Article 14 (1) 5 of the Basic Research Promotion and Technology Development Support Act;

1-2. Institutions recognized under Article 14-2 (1) of the Basic Research Promotion and Technology Development Support Act;

2. Polytechnic colleges under subparagraph 5 of Article 2 of the Act on the Development of Lifelong Vocational Skills of Citizens;

3. Schools specified in subparagraphs 2 through 4 of Article 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;

4. Other nonprofit corporations and organizations that the head of a related central administrative agency or the head of a local government recognizes to be equipped with personnel and organizations that can perform the activities referred to in paragraph (1).

(3) The Minister of Science and ICT, the head of a related central administrative agency, a Mayor/Do Governor may fully or partially subsidize institutions and organizations under paragraph (2) for expenses necessary for their activities. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 10(Ratio of Female Students in Science and Technology Universities) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT shall determine the ratio of female students to all students admitted each year to each department or faculty (hereinafter referred to as "target ratio") for a degree course in a science and technology university or college under Article 7 (1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to “science and technology university or college”), in order to raise the ultimate target ratio of female students to all students enrolled in such a department or faculty (referring to an engineering division, or a division that may be classified as an engineering division in cases of an associate degree course), in which the average ratio of female students to all students enrolled in a department or faculty is lower than 30 percent, up to 30 percent, and shall notify the head of each related central administrative agency and each Mayor/Do Governor of the target ratio. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Oct. 4, 2022>

(2) The head of each related central administrative agency or each Mayor/Do Governor may encourage science and technology universities and colleges in the area under his or her jurisdiction to attain the target ratio.

(3) The Minister of Science and ICT shall determine the measures for preferential treatment under Article 8 (2) of the Act and select science and technology universities and colleges eligible for such preferential treatment, subject to deliberation by the Committee. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Oct. 4, 2022>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 11(Selection of and Assistance to Excellent Female Students) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT shall select excellent female students pursuant to Article 9 (2) of the Act, from among female students who meet the following criteria: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Oct. 4, 2022>

1. Female students who have a thesis published in an internationally recognized scientific journal (limited to the lead author in cases of a co-authored thesis);

2. Female students who won a prize conferred by a relevant academic association for the presentation of an excellent thesis;

3. Female students who won a prize for an excellent thesis or invention in a domestic or international competition in theses or inventions in science and technology;

4. Female students recommended by the head of a science and technology university or college as one whose academic achievements are excellent;

5. Other female students who meet the criteria separately prescribed by the Minister of Science and ICT, the head of a related central administrative agency, or a Mayor/Do Governor.

(2) The scope of support, such as the amount, extent, etc. of the support under Article 9 (2) of the Act, shall be determined by the Minister of Science and ICT, the head of each related central administrative agency, or each Mayor/Do Governor, based on the school expenses incurred in enrollment, etc. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 12(Assistance to Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT, the head of a related central administrative agency, or a Mayor/Do Governor shall select the persons eligible for the assistance under Article 10 (2) of the Act from among the following women in science, engineering, and technology: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

1. Women in science, engineering, and technology who hold a degree or qualifications specified in Article 2 and are yet unemployed;

2. Women in science, engineering, and technology who work for a university, college, research institute, or enterprise;

3. Retired women in science, engineering, and technology or women in science, engineering, and technology who have their career interrupted as referred to in Article 13 (1) of the Act.

(2) Assistance in the following activities may be provided to women in science, engineering, and technology eligible for assistance:

1. Participation in research and development projects implemented by the Government;

2. Development of experience for improving skills;

3. Provision of relevant knowledge and information, such as information on job opportunities.

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 13(Institutions Subject to Affirmative Action) #

(1) The following institutions are subject to affirmative action under Article 11 (1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as "affirmative action"), such as the determination of the target ratio of recruitment and the target ratio of promotion by each class to specific levels: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

1. The institutions specified in Article 8 (1) 1 through 4;

2. Other institutions for whom the Minister of Science and ICT deems it necessary to take affirmative action in order to fully utilize women in science, engineering, and technology.

(2) The Minister of Science and ICT shall determine the following ratios in consultation with the heads of related central administrative agencies and Mayors/Do Governors and request the heads of related central administrative agencies and Mayors/Do Governors to recommend institutions subject to affirmative action to comply with such ratios: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017; Oct. 4, 2022>

1. The target ratio of recruitment;

2. The target ratio of promotion by each class;

3. The target ratio of allocation to women in payment of research fees, etc.

(3) The Minister of Science and ICT, the head of a related central administrative agency, or a Mayor/Do Governor may evaluate the results of performance of recommendations made under paragraph (2) and preferentially treat the institutions that have fully performed the recommendations in the evaluation of performance of institutions, the adjustment of the prescribed number of personnel, financial support, etc. or may request related administrative agencies to cooperate in such preferential treatment. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 14(Public Institutions Obligated to Appoint Officers in Charge of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology) #

The public institutions that shall appoint an officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology in accordance with Article 12 (2) of the Act are the institutions for whom at least 30 women in science, engineering, and technology currently work, among the institutions specified in Article 8 (1) 1 (a) through (d), national and public universities and colleges defined under Article 8 (1) 2, and institutions specified in Article 8 (1) 4.

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 15(Appointment and Duties of Officers in Charge of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology) #

(1) The head of a public institution specified in Article 14 (hereinafter referred to as "public institution") shall appoint a person who is at the level of department manager with expertise and knowledge in relevant affairs as an officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology for the term of two years in order to efficiently conduct affairs for the promoting the recruitment of women in science, engineering, and technology and improving the status of women in science, engineering, and technology.

(2) When the head of a public institution appoints an officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology, he or she shall notify the Minister of Science and ICT of the appointment within 30 days. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(3) An officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology shall perform the following duties for women in science, engineering, and technology in the public institution for which he or she works:

1. Research on the current conditions of recruitment, employment, dismissal, promotion, education and training, reward and punishment, transfer, wages, etc, investigations of the current status of gender equality in treatment, and attendance at related meetings;

2. Activities for boosting the morale of women in science, engineering, and technology and for improving their status;

3. Counseling on grievances of women in science, engineering, and technology and providing information to them;

4. Proposal of schemes for improving the treatment of women in science, engineering, and technology to the head of the competent institution.

(4) The head of each public institution shall support an officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology so that the officer can efficiently perform his or her duties and shall pro-actively reflect the proposals made by the officer in the operation of the institution.

(5) If the Minister of Science and ICT deems it necessary when he or she formulates a policy on women in science, engineering, and technology, he or she may request the head of a public institution to furnish him or her with relevant data, such as current activities of an officer in charge of women in science, engineering, and technology. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 16(Education and Training) #

(1) The head of a related central administrative agency or a Mayor/Do Governor may authorize a center for supporting women in science, engineering, and technology under Article 14 (1) of the Act to conduct educational or training programs under Article 13 (1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as "educational or training programs") or may fully or partially entrust such programs to an institution or organization specified in any subparagraph of Article 8 (1).

(2) The following women in science, engineering, and technology are eligible for the educational or training programs:

1. The women in science, engineering, and technology specified in Article 12 (1) 1;

2. The women in science, engineering, and technology who have their career interrupted as referred to in Article 13 (1) of the Act.

(3) The curriculum and process of an educational or training program shall be prescribed by the institution or organization that conducts the educational or training program in accordance with paragraph (1).

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 17(Establishment and Operation of Centers for Supporting Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology) #

(1) The Minister of Science and ICT may directly establish and operate a national center for supporting women in science, engineering, and technology (hereinafter referred to as "national support center") or may authorize a nonprofit corporation or organization to establish and operate a national support center in order to facilitate the fostering and support of women in science, engineering, and technology nationwide pursuant to Article 14 (1) of the Act and coordinate and assist regional centers for supporting women in science, engineering, and technology in their activities. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(2) A Mayor/Do Governor may directly establish and operate a regional center for supporting women in science, engineering, and technology (hereinafter referred to as "regional support center") or authorize a nonprofit corporation or organization to establish and operate the regional support center in order to efficiently foster and support women in science, engineering, and technology in the area within his or her jurisdiction.

(3) The Minister of Science and ICT may fully or partially subsidize local governments that operate a regional support center for expenses incurred therefor, within budgetary limits. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(4) A Mayor/Do Governor who establishes and operates a regional support center shall formulate and implement a plan for the management of the regional support center and shall submit a report and a plan for the management of the regional support center to the Minister of Science and ICT. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

(5) Matters necessary for the establishment, operation, support, etc. of the national support center and regional support centers shall be separately prescribed by the Minister of Science and ICT. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Wholly Amended on Dec. 28, 2011]

Article 18(Re-Examination of Regulation) #

The Minister of Science and ICT shall examine the appropriateness of the institutions subject to affirmative action, etc. prescribed in Article 13 every three years, counting from January 1, 2014 (referring to the day before January 1 of every third year) and shall take measures, such as making improvements. <Amended on Jul. 26, 2017>

[This Article Newly Inserted on Dec. 30, 2013]