– Talks with U.S. government officials to maintain strong bilateral cooperation amid evolving U.S. R&D policy shifts and Korea’s designation as a “sensitive country”
– Movements to promptly secure advanced GPUs to enhance Korea’s AI competitiveness

Minister Yoo Sang-im of the Ministry of Science and ICT (“MSIT”) visited Washington, D.C. and San Francisco from Wednesday, May 14 to Saturday, May 17, where he held meetings with key U.S. counterparts, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and NVIDIA. The visit came in response to recent developments in the U.S., including the Trump administration’s FY2026 budget proposal focused on enhancing R&D efficiency, the designation of Korea as a sensitive country by the U.S. Department of Energy, and the passage of Korea’s supplementary AI budget. Minister Yoo’s visit aimed to accelerate Korea-U.S. joint research collaboration and expand cooperation in AI infrastructure.

① Discussion with the FCC on Telecommunications Security, Cybersecurity, and 6G Mobile Communication

On May 14, Minister Yoo met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Both sides recognized the growing global threat posed by telecom-related breaches and underscored the importance of enhanced international collaboration. They exchanged views on recent cybersecurity incidents―including the data breach at Korea’s SK Telecom and the Salt Typhoon* attack targeting the U.S. broadband networks―and agreed to take proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

* Salt Typhoon: A large-scale cyberattack targeting U.S. telecom companies and major telecoms infrastructure worldwide.

The two sides shared updates on Korea’s “Internet of Things (IoT) Security Certification System” and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s “Cyber Trust Mark”* initiative. They agreed on the need for Korea and the United States to share IoT security standards to reduce the burden of duplicate certifications for IoT companies operating in both countries and to ensure that consumers can use IoT devices with greater confidence.

* Cyber Trust Mark: A U.S. labeling program aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity of IoT devices.

② Discussion on Science and Technology Cooperation with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

On May 15, Minister Yoo met with Deputy Director Lynne Parker of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to discuss ways to ensure the smooth advancement of Korea-U.S. science and technology cooperation. Minister Yoo began by sharing Korea’s current international R&D landscape and outlined areas of cooperation with the United States. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining close bilateral collaboration despite changes in the R&D environment.

The OSTP shared the second Trump administration’s R&D investment priorities―namely, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, ICT, nuclear power, and translational science―so that Korea may refer to them, and explained that U.S. policy directions are being adjusted accordingly.

Minister Yoo explained the growing importance of research security in light of recent developments such as the United States’ designation of Korea as a sensitive country. The two sides agreed to share their respective research security policies and to work together closely on the matter. The OSTP, in particular, underscored its commitment to strengthening implementation based on the National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-33*, issued during the Trump administration’s first term.

* National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-33: A memorandum issued by the U.S. President on January 14, 2021, to enhance national security in federal research and development (R&D) activities.

Finally, the two sides agreed to pursue sector-specific in-depth cooperation based on this discussion and to begin consultations toward convening the 12th Korea-U.S. Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology.

※ Since 1979, Korea and the United States have held the ministerial-level Korea-U.S. Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology.
(The 11th JCM was held in May 2023.)

On the same day, prior to the meeting with the OSTP, Minister Yoo met with Dr. Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, and Jessica Robin, Acting Head of the Office of International Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation (NSF), to exchange updates on the current status of Korea-U.S. joint research and research security, and to explore how to further enhance cooperation.

Minister Yoo also held a virtual meeting with Dr. Young-Kee Kim, Director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), a national lab under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Minister Yoo inquired about ways to strengthen collaboration between Korean and U.S. research institutes, and Director Kim cited the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE)―a multinational project involving over 35 countries― as a successful example of international cooperation, sharing relevant insights. The two sides reached a consensus on the importance and necessity of advancing research collaboration in the fields of basic science that utilize large-scale research facilities, such as particle physics.

③ Building Foundations to Strengthen AI Competitiveness

At the invitation of NVIDIA, Minister Yoo Sang-im visited the company’s U.S. headquarters, where he met with key executives including Jay Puri, Executive Vice President, and Calista Redmond, Vice President. At the meeting, they discussed ways to strengthen Korea’s AI infrastructure and build a stronger AI ecosystem through collaboration with NVIDIA. In addition, the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), represented by President Park Yun-Kyu, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NVIDIA on cooperation to secure a stable supply of cutting-edge NVIDIA GPUs within the year to support Korea’s AI infrastructure development.

Outside of this schedule, Minister Yoo also met with Dr. Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS*), to exchange views on the importance of research security. He listened to the U.S. academic community’s efforts to strike a balance between open, collaborative science and strong research security. Minister Yoo also gave an interview for publication in the Science & Diplomacy journal, published by AAAS.

The MSIT delegation also visited the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), one of the U.S. DOE’s Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) laboratories*, and met with Laboratory Director Kimberly S. Budil and toured its major research facilities**. After being briefed on the LLNL’s strategic direction, the Korean delegation discussed the current status of collaboration between Korea’s government-funded research institutes and the LLNL, as well as ways to strengthen such cooperation.​

* NNSA-affiliated national laboratories: Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, and Sandia National Laboratories
** National Ignition Facility (NIF): The world’s largest laser-based nuclear fusion research facility, located at LLNL

In addition, the Ministry held a discussion with Korean-American scientists working in AI research and industry in Silicon Valley to gather insights and suggestions for improving Korea’s research environment to attract top global AI talent.

Minister Yoo said, “Given that the largest share of Korea’s international joint R&D investment is with the United States, it is crucial to quickly understand and respond to the policy shifts under the second Trump administration, including changes in R&D priorities and the strengthening of research security. This visit served as a valuable opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to uninterrupted cooperation with the U.S., and the discussions held will be reflected in future Korea-U.S. R&D policies. As we begin exploring cooperation with NVIDIA on GPU supply, we look forward to significantly improving Korea’s AI research environment.”