KAIST opened in 1971 with a special legislative mandate from the Korean government. The government mandated two founding missions to KAIST: to educate scientists and engineers who would work for the nation’s industrialization; and to conduct innovative research that would drive the nation’s economic growth.

In the early 1960s, the government’s foremost goal was to eradicate the countrywide poverty that followed the Korean War. To accomplish this, it spearheaded an intensive effort to strengthen the base of the nation’s technological industries.

The government aligned its economic development plans with the comprehensive technology development plan to drive industrialization in 1962. Before launching their third economic plan, which promoted the heavy and chemical industry in 1972, the government recognized the importance of fostering scientists and engineers who would work for these new industries from the late 1960s.

Brain drain was a serious problem. Many students went abroad for advanced studies, but few returned to what was one of the poorest countries in the world.