It is needless to say that science and technology are vital to addressing many of the problems facing us today and forging a better future for mankind. The fast evolution of human civilization, being accelerated by digitalization and globalization, makes the role of science in human life much more crucial.

So it was timely that science ministers from the world’s most advanced countries gathered in Daejeon this week to discuss the role of science.

The “Daejeon Declaration on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for the Global and Digital Age,” adopted by the OECD Ministerial Meeting, set out a vision that science, technology and innovation improve the quality of life for all by increasing employment, productivity and economic growth.

The vision also called for science to provide new opportunities for investment; and play an essential role in meeting global and social challenges, such as economic slowdowns, environmental sustainability, climate change, developing new energy sources, income gaps, food security, healthy aging and pandemics.

Looking at the declaration, one could be tempted to say that no other country needs such a vision more than Korea. First of all, Korea, after enjoying high economic growth over the past decades, is now stuck in a low-growth trap, with its export engine sputtering and young people struggling to find jobs.

There is no doubt that technological innovation -- buttressed by strong basic research capabilities -- could provide an impetus for pulling the Korean economy out of the low-growth trap.

But as we know well, the level of science in the country, despite the modernization and industrialization that often awed the world, is at one of the lowest levels among the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This shows that many things have gone wrong. The first finger of blame should be pointed at the nation’s education and human resources development systems, which, along with the injudicious public perception of scientists and engineers -- fail to foster a healthy environment for science.

The OECD ministers’ suggestion that its member states should provide proper education in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) should provide a painful reminder for Korea, many of whose brightest science students opt for medical school.