The government plans to build the National Basic Science Institute by 2015 and appoint the institute's head around November or December this year.

The institute is the key facility in an international science-business belt project that will be located in Daejeon, South Chungcheong Province.

The head of the project said on Wednesday that the government will purchase a site and launch construction in the first half of 2014 with the aim to finish building the institute by the end of 2015.

He said that candidates to head the institute will be narrowed to three people around October and the chief will be appointed by President Lee Myung-bak.

The committee under the Education, Science and Technology Ministry plans to establish by November a basic plan for the main site of the science belt, determining the locations, sizes, and arrangements of facilities.