From Attraction to Inclusion: Rethinking Korea's STEM Migration Governance in the Global Innovation Race

In the context of intensifying global competition for high-skilled STEM talent, this study examines South Korea's institutional readiness and policy design as it seeks to position itself as a global hub for innovation. Integrating insights from push–pull theory, human capital theory, and the national innovation systems (NIS) framework, the study draws on expert interviews and cross-national benchmarking to identify systemic factors influencing STEM talent attraction and retention. The analysis highlights six recurring constraints—career inaccessibility, administrative fragmentation, credentialing inconsistencies, weak family support, symbolic inclusion, and rigid visa structures—that collectively undermine Korea's competitiveness in the global STEM mobility landscape. Rather than advocating fixed institutional models, the study outlines exploratory directions for policy development across six domains, including career access, administrative coordination, family integration, institutional inclusion, and visa system reform. These findings contribute conceptually by bridging innovation governance and skilled migration frameworks, proposing a lifecycle-oriented approach to talent strategy. The study underscores the importance of coordinated, peoplecentered migration policy that aligns national innovation goals with inclusive global talent integration.