"If we combine Korea's manufacturing competitiveness with Israel's innovative security capabilities, we can take the lead in future industries."
Rafael Harpaz, the Israeli ambassador to Korea, said this on the 25th at the 2025 Korea-Israel Open Innovation Summit held at Trade Tower in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The event, co-hosted by the Economic and Trade Mission of the Embassy of Israel in Korea and the Korea International Trade Association, drew a delegation of Israeli cybersecurity and venture capital (VC) corporations and about 100 participants from the innovation ecosystems of Korea and Israel. Attendees discussed ways to expand technology exchanges and investment cooperation between the two countries.
From Israel, leading cybersecurity corporations such as security corporations Check Point and Sygnia; connected-car security firm Upstream Security; and authentication security corporation Silverfort attended in force to propose avenues for technical cooperation. BATM Networks and HEQA Security, which develop advanced security solutions based on quantum key distribution (QKD), also took part.
The Israeli cybersecurity corporations gathered at the venue agreed that governments and corporations must strengthen their security capabilities to counter attacks from state-backed hacking groups that are becoming increasingly sophisticated, including those from China, North Korea and Russia. They said that because attackers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to rapidly scale the speed and volume of attacks, corporations and institutions need to proactively adopt advanced security solutions.
Quantum security is one of the next-generation security technologies drawing the most attention in the industry. The industry expects that when quantum computers are commercialized, projected for 2028–2030, state-backed hacking groups will weaponize quantum computers to launch large-scale cyberattacks. A HEQA Security official said, "If hostile forces use quantum computers, they can easily neutralize existing cryptographic systems based on prime factorization."
The basis of widely used cryptographic systems today is prime factorization. By leveraging the fact that factorization becomes harder as numbers grow larger, it is possible to create ciphers that would take from thousands of years to as long as 1 million years to break with conventional computers. However, once quantum computers are commercialized, current cryptographic systems can be hacked in a short time. If hostile forces steal information in advance and later attempt hacking with quantum computers, sensitive information such as defense data or semiconductor technology could be leaked, causing damage to spiral out of control.
According to company officials, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum key distribution (QKD) technologies, which BATM Networks and HEQA Security focus on, cannot be decrypted with quantum computers and are seeing rising demand ahead of the commercialization of quantum computers. Adoption of these quantum security technologies is increasing, centered on large-scale data centers, financial institutions and banks, and telecommunications carriers.
A HEQA Security official said, "As public and private security systems shift toward PQC, the related market is expected to grow rapidly," adding, "For quantum security technologies to be commercialized, they must not only be technologically superior but also price-competitive and easy to integrate with existing systems. HEQA's quantum security solutions meet all these conditions, setting them apart from competitors." Earlier, HEQA signed a technology cooperation agreement with KT to verify a quantum security network and build commercial infrastructure.
Israel is one of the countries with the most active startup ecosystem in the world, and it continues to produce corporations with outstanding capabilities, particularly in cybersecurity. Unit 8200 of the Israel Defense Forces is a world-class institution for cultivating cyber talent, and veterans of the unit have founded cybersecurity startups after discharge, laying the technological foundation of Israel's cybersecurity industry. As of last year, Israeli cybersecurity corporations attracted about $3.8 billion in investment, accounting for 36% of all investment in Israel's tech sector.
In March, Alphabet, Google's parent, acquired Israeli cybersecurity Start - Up Wiz for $32 billion, and Palo Alto Networks, the world's largest cybersecurity corporation, is acquiring identity security corporation CyberArk for $25 billion, underscoring a brisk pace of mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Harpaz, the Israeli ambassador to Korea, said, "Korea and Israel are steadily expanding cooperation based on shared values of advanced technology and innovation," adding, "This event will be an important opportunity to jointly seek future growth engines for both countries."