Reverse brain drain: Korean policies to utilize talent educated abroad

Abstract

Now at an important juncture of its development, Korea has pursued technological sophistication as a means of maintaining the momentum of the nation's progress. A corps of scientists and engineers is needed to enhance the national capacity to design, market, and manufacture products as well as to teach students and to carry out research and development activities. A major potential source of high-quality manpower in science and engineering is the pool of talent previously drained to advanced countries. A successful policy to repatriate personnel from advanced countries migh turn the brain-drain curse into a blessing. Yet, little attention has been paid to the sensitive subject of how to manage this flow of human (rather than material) resources. During the brain-drain controversy of the 1960s, some analysts believed that social and economic incentives would drive talented people from developing countries to migrate to advanced countries. Given the resources then available to developing countries. this problem seemed unlikely to be solved soon.