– The government has established a phased roadmap to become the world’s leading quantum chip manufacturing nation and to nurture 2,000 quantum companies by 2035.
– A Quantum Cluster, which will serve as a regional quantum transformation hub will be designated in July this year.
– The launch of the Quantum Technology Council, bringing together major companies including Samsung, LG, and SK will accelerate the industrialization of quantum technologies.
– IonQ will introduce its global quantum infrastructure to Korea and invest USD 15 million over the next three years.
【Relevant National Task】
28-1. Nurturing future strategic technologies through public-private partnership
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister: Bae Kyung-hoon) announced on Thursday, January 29, at the Kensington Hotel, Yeouido, Seoul, the First Comprehensive Plan for Fostering Quantum Science and Technology and the Quantum Industry (“Comprehensive Plan”) and the First Basic Plan for Quantum Industry-Academia Cooperation Cluster (“Quantum Cluster Basic Plan”), The two plans constitute the government’s quantum master plan aimed at reshaping Korea’s future economic landscape.
※ According to Articles 5 and 24 of the Act on Promotion of Quantum Science, Technology and Industry, the master plan is established every five years by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MSIT in consultation with relevant ministries and is subsequently deliberated and approved by the Quantum Strategy Committee.
Rather than focusing solely on research and development (R&D), the Comprehensive Plan sets out a phased industrialization roadmap with concrete goals of becoming the world’s leading quantum chip manufacturing nation, cultivating 10,000 quantum professionals, and nurturing 2,000 quantum-related companies by 2035.
| [Quantum Computing: Developing a “K-Quantum Computer” and Addressing Industrial Challenges] The government will launch a Grand Challenge competition to develop a domestically built “full stack quantum computer,” aiming to achieve technological sovereignty in core technologies. To strengthen competitiveness of Korea’s key industries including automotive, pharmaceuticals, and finance, the government will host use-case competitions to address complex challenges beyond the reach of conventional technologies through the convergence of quantum and AI. In addition, the government will establish a hybrid infrastructure integrating quantum computer, high-performance computer, and AI to shape an open research environment that enables researcher to fully leverage these advanced capabilities. [Quantum Communications and Sensors: Early Commercialization of Quantum Security and Ultraprecision Sensor Technologies] The government will establish a nationwide quantum cryptographic communications network and initiate pilot deployments in sectors requiring the highest levels of security including defense and finance. In the field of quantum sensors, the government will identify high-potential projects in areas such as medicine and defense where early commercialization is feasible, and provide full support spanning prototype development through to full-scale commercialization. [Talent and Research Infrastructure: Nurturing 10,000 Quantum Professionals with a 30-Year Vision] The government will nurture 100 talents annually through specialized AI science schools and quantum graduate schools, with the goal of fostering 10,000 quantum professionals by 2035. It will also introduce a 30-year strategic basic research framework to secure foundational and source technologies, rather than focusing on short-term results. [Industrial Ecosystem: Fostering 2,000 Quantum Companies and Leading Global Standards] The government will significantly expand investments in quantum ventures and startups, with the goal of nurturing 2,000 quantum companies by 2035. In parallel, it will strengthen international cooperation to ensure that domestic technologies are adopted as global standards, aiming to rank among the world’s top three countries in global quantum standards leadership. In addition, the government will establish a self-sustaining quantum industry ecosystem by clustering industry and academia under the Quantum Cluster Basic Plan and designate industry-academia cooperation districts (“quantum clusters”) in five areas* linked to regionally specialized industries by 2030. The quantum clusters will serve as a hub for quantum transformation (QX), where advanced industries converge with quantum technologies. The government will issue guidelines for regional development plans in February 2026, begin an open call for proposals in May, and designate the final cluster locations in July this year. * ① Quantum Computing, ② Communications, ③ Sensors, ④ Materials, Parts, and Equipment, ⑤ Algorithms In parallel with developing sovereign technologies, MSIT plans to foster Korea as a global quantum hub through cooperation with leading international companies. As part of this effort, MSIT will introduce a quantum computer this year from IonQ, a leading global quantum computer developer and integrate it with the supercomputer of the Korean Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) to shape a world-class hybrid research environment. In conjunction with this announcement, MSIT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IonQ to establish a long-term cooperation framework. Under the MOU, IonQ will establish a joint research center in Korea and invests 5 million dollars annually over the next three years. MSIT has also launched a “Quantum Technology Council” comprising leading Korean companies across sectors including manufacturing (Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics), telecommunications (SKT and KT), finance (KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank), and defense (Hanwha and LIG). The Council aims to address practical industrial challenges through quantum technologies and lead the development of an early-stage domestic quantum market. |
At the subsequent roundtable discussion, participating companies engaged in in-depth discussion on the outlook for quantum technologies and industries; areas requiring government support including infrastructure, human resources, and R&D; strategies for developing an early-stage domestic quantum market; and ways to create new innovation cases and strengthen existing industrial capabilities through the integration of quantum technologies across diverse sectors.
“Quantum technology is a disruptive innovative that will determine national competitiveness in the post-AI era,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae. “Through this Comprehensive Plan and the Quantum Cluster Basic Plan, the government will mobilize all national capabilities across industry, academia, research institutes, and the public sector to position Korea as a global hub for quantum technology and industry.”