South Korea’s AI PhD fast track cannot outrun its broken academic system
South Korea’s plan to fast-track AI doctorates reflects a broader effort to strengthen its research competitiveness. Yet the initiative exposes a deeper structural problem — accelerating degrees cannot compensate for an academic environment that struggles to attract, retain and support researchers. South Korea’s research constraints stem not from the speed of doctoral training but from long-standing systemic issues that undermine its scientific and intellectual base.
