Minister Yoo Seung-im noted that at the end of March, the 'interagency technology commercialization vision' will be announced to promote the technology commercialization ecosystem. Plans will be presented to strengthen the role of government-funded research institutes, cultivate specialized companies in technology commercialization, and support strategies for technology scale-up and the growth of innovative corporations.
Minister Yoo announced this during a briefing on 'the status of key tasks for the Ministry of Science and ICT in 2025' held at the Government Seoul Building on the 11th. This announcement is a follow-up to measures discussed at the 'major issues resolution meeting' on January 13, aimed at stabilizing people's livelihoods and strengthening future growth engines, and follows the first briefing held on February 4.
Minister Yoo emphasized, "Graduate schools should operate centered around science for talent cultivation, but government-funded research institutes and specialized research organizations must focus on research and development for fundamental technology development and new technology commercialization according to their original purpose."
To strategically promote quantum technology, the 'Quantum Strategy Committee' will be launched this month. The committee will review and decide on major national policies related to quantum technology and will be chaired by the Prime Minister, consisting of 20 government and private experts. Additionally, there are plans to announce a 'quantum initiative promotion strategy' to foster the quantum industry. Based on this, the government intends to pursue 10 key tasks including research and development in quantum technology, training specialized and converged personnel, and attracting outstanding overseas talent.
A roadmap for next-generation nuclear development will also be established by the end of March. This roadmap will include development goals and realization plans for types of advanced reactors other than conventional ones. In the aerospace sector, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Korea-Saudi aerospace cooperation will be signed, and an international cooperation seminar for the aerospace industry will be held to expand collaboration. Plans for cultivating talent in the aerospace field are also set to be announced in March.
Regarding the recent possibility of the United States classifying South Korea as a 'sensitive country,' Minister Yoo stated that there has not yet been any official confirmation. If South Korea is designated as a sensitive country, there is a possibility that cooperation with the United States in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear energy could be restricted.
In this regard, Minister Yoo explained, "It is necessary to refer to the case of Japan, where the Minister directly responded regarding tariffs, and remarked that if this issue materializes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Science and ICT should form a joint task force to prepare countermeasures."