On Sept. 24, 1966, some 200 scientists and engineers from 71 academic societies gathered at the old Press Center in central Seoul. A black-and-white photograph taken that day shows a banner written in Chinese characters announcing the founding of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies (KOFST), with the national flag behind the lectern. After the national anthem, the order of proceedings included a "Song for the Promotion of Science and Technology." Korea at the time had no ministry overseeing science, nor did it have a general law for promoting science and technology. At the meeting, the participants adopted the federation's bylaws, elected Kim Yun-gi as its first president and approved a first-year plan that included pushing for a law to promote science and technology. They also adopted a petition urging the government to enact that law, improve conditions for scientists, support the building of a hall for the scientific community and create a government agency dedicated to science. Two were realized within seven months: The Science and Technology Promotion Act was