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ACT ON FOSTERING AND SUPPORTING WOMEN SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS

[Enforcement Date: Feb. 29, 2008] [Act No. 8852, Feb. 29, 2008, Other Laws and Regulations Amended]

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Human Resources Policy Division) Tel.: 02-2100-6219~6229

Article 1 (Purpose)

The purpose of this Act is to contribute to the reinforcement of the capacities of women for science and technology, and the development of science and technology of the Nation by devising policies to foster women in science and technology, to make practical use of their abilities and to provide support for them, and by extending assistance to help them fully demonstrate their talents and abilities.

Article 2 (Definitions)

The term "women in science and technology" in this Act means women who engage or intend to engage in research service, technical service or other related service in the fields of natural science and engineering (hereinafter referred to as the "science and engineering fields"), who are prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 3 (Relations with Other Acts)

This Act shall apply, in preference to other Acts, to the fostering of, utilization of, and assistance to women in science and technology.

Article 4 (Basic Plans)

(1) The Government shall set forth the goals and directions for mid-term and long-term policies to foster and support women in science and technology, and establish and promote basic plans for fostering and supporting women in science and technology according thereto (hereinafter referred to as the "basic plans"), in order to efficiently achieve the purpose of this Act.

(2) The Minister of Education, Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as the "Minister") shall establish basic plans on a five-year basis by integrating plans, policies, etc. related to fostering and supporting women in science and technology, which have been established by the heads of the related central administrative agencies and the Special Metropolitan City Mayor, the Metropolitan City Mayor, or the Mayor/Do governor (hereinafter referred to as the "Mayor/Do "governor") in accordance with Presidential Decree.

(3) The basic plans shall contain matters applicable to each of the following subsections:

1. Basic goals and promotional directions for fostering and assisting women in science and technology;

2. Matters concerning fostering, utilizing, and assisting women in science and technology;

3. Matters concerning the positive measures pursuant to the provisions of Article 11;

4. Matters concerning the establishment and operation of the support center for women in science and technology pursuant to the provisions of Article 14;

5. Matters concerning the fostering of organizations of women in science and technology; and

6. Other important matters as determined by the Minister concerning fostering and assisting women in science and technology.

(4) The basic plans shall pass the deliberation of the National Science and Technology Council established under Article 9 of the Framework Act on Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as the "National Science and Technology Council"), after undergoing the procedures prescribed by Presidential Decree. (5) When the heads of the related central administrative agencies and the Mayor/Do governor establish the plans and policies related to fostering and supporting women in science and technology, they shall conform to the goals and directions for mid-term and long-term policies according to section (1).

Article 5 (Implemental Plans, etc. by Fiscal Year) (1) The heads of the related central administrative agencies and the Mayor/Do governor (hereinafter referred to as the "implementing agencies") shall establish and promote the implementation plans by fiscal year (hereinafter referred to as the "implementation plans") in accordance with the basic plans.

(2) The Minister shall adjust the implementation plans via consultations with the implementing agencies, and inspect the situations of their performance thereof, and integrate the implementation plans of implementing agencies for the following year and the actual promotion results of the preceding year, and file a report thereon with the National Science and Technology Council. Article 6 (Investigation of Actual Status)

(1) The Minister shall conduct an investigation of actual status, for the purpose of grasping the current status of utilization of women in science and technology and other results of enforcement of this Act, and publicize the outcomes therefrom, and file a report thereon with the National Science and Technology Council.

(2) Where necessary for conducting an investigation of actual status under section (1), the Minister may request the related central administrative agencies, local governments, public institutions, and other institutions or organizations that have received any assistance from the State or local governments to furnish data or opinions. In this case, the institutions or organizations in receipt of such request shall comply with it, except for the cases where there exist any special situations not to.

(3) Matters necessary for the period, scope, contents, methods, procedures, etc. in respect to the investigation of actual status under section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 7 (Promotion of Entering and Advancing into Science and Engineering Field) (1) The State and local governments may induce schoolgirls in the course of elementary or secondary education and female students attending universities or colleges (referring to universities or colleges, industrial colleges, colleges of education, junior colleges, air and correspondence colleges, technical colleges, and other various kinds of schools under Article 2 of the Higher Education Act; hereinafter the same shall apply) to enter into the colleges of science and technology fields, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology established under the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Act, and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology established under the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Act (hereinafter referred to as the "colleges of science and technology field, etc."), and may develop and operate the programs necessary for encouraging them to enter into the area of science and engineering fields, or support the institutions or organizations that operate such said programs. (2) Matters necessary for the contents of programs and the scope of assistances, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 8 (Maintenance of Appropriate Percentage of Female Students in Colleges, etc. of Science and Technology Field)

(1) Where the percentage of female students of those attending colleges of science and technology fields, etc. is considerably low, the State and local governments may encourage the relevant colleges of science and technology fields, etc. to maintain the adequate percentage of female students who enroll to such colleges each year. (2) The State and local governments shall devise and promote preferential policies in their assistance of research expenses, etc. for the colleges of science and technology fields, etc. that maintain adequate percentage of female students who enter such colleges pursuant to the provisions of section (1).

(3) The percentage of female students pursuant to the provisions of section (1), the preferential policies pursuant to the provisions of section (2), and other necessary matters shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 9 (Assistances to Female Students in Science and Technology Fields) (1) The State and local governments may select the outstanding students among the female students attending colleges of science and technology fields, etc., and provide them with scholarships or research subsidies, or have them participate in the research and development projects implemented by the State or local governments. (2) Matters necessary for the criteria for selecting excellent female students and the extent of assistance, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 10 (Assistance to Women in Science and Technology) (1) The State and local governments may subsidize all or part of expenses required for the training or research activities in foreign or domestic colleges or public research institutions, in order to elevate the research abilities of women in science and technology. (2) Matters necessary for those subject to assistance and the methods of assistance, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 11 (Positive Measures)

(1) The State and local governments may take assertive measures, such as temporarily establishing specific levels of the percentage of recruitment targets of women in science and technology and the percentage of their promotion targets by job classification within a reasonable extent, in order to expand the advance of women in science and technology into the scientific and technical fields wherein their advance is considerably inactive. (2) Where the heads of the related central administrative agencies and the heads of local governments have taken the assertive measures pursuant to the provisions of section (1), they shall notify the Minister of the results of the said promotions.

(3) The Minister shall integrate the results of promotions of assertive measures pursuant to the provisions of section (2), and file each year a report thereon with the National Science and Technology Council. (4) Matters necessary for those subject to the assertive measures and contents, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 12 (Designation of Staff in Charge of Women in Science and Technology) (1) The heads of public institutions having many incumbents of women in science and technology, such as the research institutions of scientific and technical fields, etc., shall designate the staff in charge of women in science and technology among their subordinate staff members, and have him/her perform the cooperative duties for promoting the employment of women in science and technology and for elevating their positions. (2) Matters necessary for the scope of public institutions and the designation of the staff in charge of women in science and technology and his/her duties, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 13 (Education and Training for Reemployment, etc.) (1) Where any working or employment status of women in science and technology has been suspended due to their pregnancy, delivery, and rearing of children, etc., the State and local governments may implement education and training necessary for their reworking or reemployment.

(2) The heads of the related central administrative agencies and the heads of local governments may entrust the whole or part of duties related to the education and training pursuant to the provisions of section (1) to the institutions or organizations as prescribed by Presidential Decree.

(3) The heads of the related central administrative agencies and the heads of local governments may support the whole or part of the expenses required by the institutions or organizations entrusted with the duties related to the education and training as prescribed in section (2).

(4) Matters necessary for those subject to the education and training and the procedures, etc. pursuant to the provisions of section (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. Article 14 (Establishment of Support Center for Women in Science and Technology) (1) The State and local governments (referring to the Special Metropolitan City, the Metropolitan City, and Do; hereinafter in this Article, the same shall apply) may establish support centers for women in science and technology (hereinafter referred to as the "support center") in order to efficiently foster and support women in science and technology. (2) The support center shall perform the following affairs:

1. Investigation and research for developing policies on fostering and supporting women in science and technology;

2. Education, training, studies and consultations for women in science and technology;

3. Providing employment information, etc. on the occupational types related to science and technology; and

4. Other support for activities of women in science and technology and their organizations. (3) The State and local governments may support the whole or part of expenses required for the establishment and operation of the support center. (4) Matters necessary for the establishment, operation, etc. of the support center shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 15 (Raising Required Financial Resources) The State and local governments may appropriate the whole or part of project costs required for fostering and supporting women in science and technology as prescribed in this Act, from the Fund for the Promotion of Science and Technology pursuant to the provisions of Article 22 of the Framework Act on Science and Technology, or from funds, etc. related to projects implemented in order to foster and support women in science and technology, which are funds subject to the application of the State Finance Act.

Article 16 (Entrustment of Authority)

The heads of the central administrative agencies or the heads of the local governments may, under the conditions as prescribed by Presidential Decree, entrust a part of their authority under this Act to institutions or organizations that perform the duties related with fostering and supporting women in science and technology.

ADDENDA (Government Organization Act) Article 1 (Enforcement Date)

This Act shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation. Provided, that , the amended portion of Acts, which were promulgated before the enforcement date of this Act, but have not entered into effect yet, among the Acts amended in accordance with Article 6 of the Addenda, shall enter into effect on the respective enforcement date of the relevant Act.

Articles 2 through 5 Omitted.

Article 6 (Amendment of Other Acts)

(1) through <134> Omitted.

<135> Part of the Act on Fostering and Supporting Women Scientists and Technicians shall be amended as follows:

The term "Minister of Science and Technology" in Articles 4 (2), (3) 6, 5 (2), 6 (1), and 11 (2) and (3) shall be changed to "Minister of Education, Science and Technology". <136> through <760> Omitted.

Article 7 Omitted.