Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT (under Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon), visited Seoul National University (SNU) at 3 p.m. on October 1 to inspect the research achievements of a homegrown ion-trap quantum computer and held a roundtable aimed at linking those achievements to startups and commercialization. The event was an occasion to seek concrete support measures for moving research results onto the industrial front, following the government’s designation of quantum as a future growth engine.
 [코리안투데이] First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae visits Seoul National University’s ion-trap quantum computing lab © 장형임 기자 |
The visit was arranged to carry quantum technology research achievements through to startups and commercialization within the framework of the 7 SEED Project. After designating quantum as one of the 7 SEED future growth engine fields on August 12, the government made its implementation plans more concrete on September 30, announcing the 7 SEED Project Implementation Plan and the K-Moonshot Strategy Roadmap at a ministerial meeting on science and technology. The aim is to provide comprehensive support across the entire process—from technology development to startups, commercialization and corporate growth—so that quantum research achievements do not remain in the lab but bear fruit in industry.
The quantum field is seeing active industrialization, with cutting-edge research achievements leading directly to product and service development and startups, and fast-growing companies emerging. The government believes that, in order to turn this momentum into a growth opportunity for Korean industry, it is important to find policy directions suited to the conditions of domestic technology, talent and companies. Accordingly, the event focused on examining the difficulties faced at research and startup sites and on fleshing out the support measures needed for corporate growth.
First Vice Minister Koo Hyuk-chae first visited SNU’s ion-trap quantum computing lab and observed a demonstration of a quantum computer that integrates a domestically developed chip, control devices and software. He then listened to voices from the field about the difficulties encountered in connecting research achievements to startups and commercialization, and the support required.
At the roundtable that followed, the Ministry of Science and ICT presented policy directions for accelerating the growth of quantum companies by linking R&D and technology commercialization policies. Professor Kim Tae-hyun of SNU gave a presentation on the role of the public sector in creating an early market, while Professor Son Young-woo of Korea University presented support measures to encourage startups by research personnel and to back corporate growth after founding.
In the general discussion, participants from industry, academia, research institutes and investment firms discussed the support tasks needed for quantum companies to grow. In particular, investment firms such as venture capital stressed the need for an inflow of risk capital into the quantum field and exchanged views on improving investment conditions and systems to promote it. The event drew 15 participants, including the First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, experts from industry, academia and research institutes, venture capitalists, and officials from the quantum industry association.
The discussion is drawing attention as a test of whether quantum computers can move beyond a particular lab’s technology demonstration to generate products and jobs at domestic companies. Only when research personnel launch startups, investment follows, and public demand opens up an early market can an industrial ecosystem take root.
First Vice Minister Koo Hyuk-chae said, ‘The 7 SEED Project is a core policy for preparing the next-generation industries that will lead Korea 10 to 20 years from now, and it is important to ensure that investment in the future leads to visible outcomes such as startups and commercialization.’ He added, ‘In the quantum field in particular, we will strengthen policy support so that an industrial ecosystem in which companies grow on the basis of research achievements is created and the market can expand rapidly.’
지역 홍보대사 신청 기자양성과정 신청 코리안투데이 지부장 신청 코리안투데이 인천강화
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