韩民调：大批理工科人才欲“逃离韩国”，薪酬待遇成为主因

Core Insights - The trend of high-end talent exodus in South Korea's STEM fields is intensifying, driven by dissatisfaction with domestic salary structures and research environments [1][4] - A significant portion of young researchers is considering overseas employment, reflecting a structural imbalance in education and industry that favors medical fields over engineering and technology [1][5] Group 1: Talent Exodus Statistics - 42.9% of surveyed STEM professionals expressed intentions to leave South Korea, with the highest percentage (72.4%) among those in their 20s [1] - Approximately 34,000 STEM professionals have moved abroad from 2013 to 2022, including around 96,000 with master's or doctoral degrees [4] Group 2: Reasons for Outflow - 66.7% of respondents identified salary as the primary reason for considering leaving South Korea, highlighting a disparity in income compared to overseas counterparts [4] - The average time to reach peak salary for overseas professionals is 13 years, while it takes 19 years for South Korean workers [4] Group 3: Research Environment and Job Satisfaction - Satisfaction levels regarding research ecosystems, working conditions, and career advancement opportunities are significantly higher for overseas STEM professionals, with research ecosystem satisfaction being 1.64 times greater than that of South Korean counterparts [4] - The South Korean research environment is criticized for low efficiency and a closed nature, leading many researchers to feel compelled to leave due to inadequate support [4][6] Group 4: Structural Issues and Recommendations - The outflow of STEM talent reflects deeper structural issues in education and industry, with top students often gravitating towards the medical field, resulting in a shortage of innovation talent in engineering [5] - The Bank of Korea suggests reforms including a results-oriented salary system, improved career advancement pathways for master's level researchers, and enhanced collaboration with international research institutions to encourage talent return [6]