– Korea-EU Research and Innovation Day 2026 held on March 24
– Keynote speeches by the European Commission (EC) and the European Research Council (ERC) highlighted the importance of research cooperation
– Program included: ▴Overview of the 2026-2027 Horizon Europe Work Programme ▴Presentations by researchers selected for 2025 Horizon Europe projects ▴Pitch sessions by European researchers
【Relevant National Policy Task】 26. System Innovation to Become One of the World’s Top Five Science and Technology Powers
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, hosted the Korea-EU Research and Innovation Day 2026 on March 24 at the Grand Ballroom (3F) of the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, in collaboration with the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), chaired by Hong Won-hwa, and the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, led by Ambassador Ugo Astuto.
Jointly hosted by the NRF and the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, the R&I Day provides an overview of EU R&I programs and policies―most notably Horizon Europe*―to Korean researchers. This event holds particular significance as the inaugural joint event following Korea’s joining of Horizon Europe as an associate member. Reflecting the high interest among the Korean researchers, the event attracted approximately 650 pre-registrations.
* Horizon Europe is the world’s largest multi-lateral R&I program, funded by the European Union with €95.5 billion (2021-2027). Korea is the first Asian nation and the third non-European country to join as an associated member, following New Zealand and Canada.
At this year’s R&I Day, Maria Christina Russo, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission (EC), presented EU’s strategic R&I policy direction and its vision for cooperation with Korea. In the subsequent keynote speech, Luke O’Neill, representing the European Research Council (ERC), ―an organization dedicated to world-class research excellence―highlighted the vital necessity of international cooperation. Furthermore, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation provided the latest updates for Korean researchers to participate in the Horizon Europe program, including introduction of the 2026-2027 Horizon Europe program and administrative guidelines for conducting research in Europe.
Since the 2025 Horizon Europe project calls, a total of 28* research teams involving Korean researchers have been selected to date. Critical research areas across various sectors―including ▴healthcare and medicine (3 projects, the including development of CRISPR therapy); ▴digital and industry (14 projects, including quantum and virtual reality); ▴climate and energy (4 projects, including developing clean energy technologies such as hydrogen and carbon emission reduction); and ▴food and biodiversity (6 projects, including the exploration and utilization of natural resources)―will be addressed. Moreover, In-Bok Lee, Professor at Seoul National University, and Xavier Martinez-Llado, Director of Technology Centre of Catalonia (Eurecat)―both of whom are receiving €6 million respectively for entire projects involving future-proof innovations for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and industrial food waste reduction technology developed by the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) and CESCO Co., Ltd.,―shared their experiences of formulating a consortium among researchers and their expected achievements for future collaboration.
* These are EU-led projects where proposals are evaluated according to EU-specific criteria and results are notified individually. These figures are not part of the official statistics compiled by the Korean government.
The event also featured a networking session to foster bilateral R&D cooperation. Researchers from various European nations, including France and Denmark, delivered pitches to find Korean research partners. Furthermore, promotional booths for EU, as well as 15 EU member states were hosted to facilitate direct engagement with Korea.
Kang Sang-wook, Deputy Minister of Planning and Coordination, stated that “This year marks the 20th anniversary of concluding the MoU on Science and Technology Cooperation between Korea and EU. This year will be a turning point for our research cooperation.” He also added “While we look forward to tangible outcomes through Horizon Europe, we have even greater ambitions to enhance our bilateral cooperation as partners leading global innovation.