Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Paik Kyung-hoon declared, “After artificial intelligence (AI) comes quantum,” positioning quantum technology as South Korea’s next core national strategy. As the government pursues three mega-projects in semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers, it has identified quantum computing as the foundational technology to fundamentally resolve the exploding demand for AI computation and the associated power burden.

During his welcoming speech at the international quantum technology event ‘Quantum Korea 2026,’ which opened on the 2nd at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, Deputy PM Paik stated, “The current method of AI computation requires enormous costs and power, and will reach its limits at some point.” He emphasized, “AI is racing toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) through the development of Large Language Models (LLMs), but for AGI to truly integrate into our daily lives, the advancement and commercialization of computing technology is essential.”

Now in its third year, Quantum Korea 2026 runs until the 4th under the slogan “Quantum Becomes Reality, a Bold Challenge for Innovation.” The event drew 56 companies and research institutions from 12 countries, including global quantum computing leaders such as IBM, IonQ, Quandela, and Pasqal. The opening ceremony was attended by over 300 key figures from industry, academia, and research, along with delegations from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and Australia, signaling a strong will for global cooperation surrounding quantum technology.

Deputy PM Paik revealed, “We are preparing not only in computing but also in various fields such as sensing and encryption technologies, and I understand we are seeing significant results in the encryption sector.” He added, “We are building an industry-academia-research cooperation system through the Quantum Alliance and are also preparing a quantum cluster construction project. We will create an opportunity for many companies to gather around regional hubs.”

The opening ceremony also featured awards for ten individuals who contributed to the advancement of quantum science and technology. Lee Yong-ho, Director of the Superconducting Quantum Computing System Research Center at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Ryu Tak-ki, Head of Network Technology at SK Telecom, received commendations from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT.

The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Isaac Chuang of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who was the first in the world to implement Shor’s algorithm on actual quantum hardware using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Professor Chuang presented on the topic of ‘Quantum Engineering: Systems Challenges.’ Following him, Professor Kim Myung-sik, a Chair Professor at Imperial College London, took the stage to speak on ‘Quantum Technology – The Journey So Far.’

The exhibition featured a massive unveiling of the latest technologies in quantum computing, quantum communication, and security. In the quantum computing sector, IBM introduced its plan to upgrade the quantum computer installed at Yonsei University’s International Campus with the latest processor in the second half of this year. Pyo Chang-hee, IBM Quantum Enterprise Lead for Korea and ANZ, explained, “Because it is modular, the system can be expanded.” IonQ, Quandela, and Pasqal also showcased quantum computers based on ion trap, photonic, and neutral atom technologies, respectively.

In the quantum communication field, SK Telecom (017670), KT (030200), and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) unveiled quantum cryptography communication and quantum internet technologies. SK Telecom exhibited Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC)-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) technology, and wireless and satellite QKD technology. The company is notably developing QKD technology applicable to long-distance wireless communication of 30km, with plans to eventually mount it on satellites. It also showcased quantum security solutions, including Q-HSM (Quantum Hardware Security Module) and Q-SSE (Quantum Security Service Edge).

Under the theme ‘Where the Quantum Future Begins, KT,’ KT unveiled its ‘Quantum Safe Network’ technology, which combines QKD and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). The design features a structure that applies QKD to network transmission sections to protect encryption key delivery, while applying PQC to access and service sections, establishing an end-to-end (E2E) quantum security system across the entire network. Based on its independently implemented wired QKD technology at the 300kbps level and wireless quantum cryptography technology proven over 4.8km last year, KT also exhibited domestically produced equipment.

The rapid progress of domestic quantum startups was also notable. Companies such as SDT, Qsimplus, Korea Quantum Computing, ICTK, Norma, Orientum, and Qunova showcased quantum computing, communication, sensing, and security technologies. ICT firms like Megazone Cloud and LG CNS also participated, highlighting the industrial application potential of quantum technology. Research and public institutions, including KRISS, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), KAIST, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), also disclosed various achievements, such as atomic clocks and defense quantum sensing technology.

Deputy PM Paik’s remarks are noteworthy for defining quantum technology not as a future technology separate from AI, but as the next-generation infrastructure that will make the government’s AI, semiconductor, and data center strategies sustainable. The concept is to pursue a new computing paradigm of quantum computing in parallel, as expanding AI data centers alone cannot handle the exploding computational demand and power burden. The government had previously announced large-scale investment plans for the three major sectors—semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers—on the 29th of last month.

Since its launch in 2023, Quantum Korea has established itself as South Korea’s premier international quantum event, where governments, researchers, and leading quantum companies from around the world gather to share the latest technologies and policies. Beyond exhibitions and conferences, this year’s event focused on strengthening the international cooperation foundation of the quantum ecosystem by concurrently hosting international academic events and global networking programs.