South Korea’s largest international event dedicated to quantum technology, Quantum Korea 2025, opened today at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Hosted jointly by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Quantum Korea Organizing Committee, the three-day event runs through September 26 and features participation from 57 companies and institutions across eight countries, offering a comprehensive look at the current state and future of quantum science and technology.
Themed “100 Years of Quantum: Awakening Industry”, the event commemorates the centennial of quantum mechanics. It features a rich program including an international academic conference, industry and research exhibitions, global cooperation events, and public lectures, fostering a multi-layered network spanning industry, academia, and government.
At the opening ceremony, over 300 representatives attended, including Minister of Science and ICT Sang-Im Yoo, and representatives from the European Union, the United States, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Finland, as well as academic and industrial leaders. The event began with welcome remarks from Organizing Chair Taehyun Kim and Minister Yoo, followed by awards ceremonies recognizing distinguished contributors to the quantum field. The day concluded with the Quantum Frontier Forum, where representatives from 12 countries introduced their respective national quantum strategies.
World-renowned quantum experts’ visits also drew attention. Professor Oskar Painter of Caltech, who heads Quantum Hardware at Amazon Web Services (AWS), delivered a keynote on “Error Correction, Scaling, and Overcoming the Numerical Limits of Quantum Computing.” Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), presented on “From Research to Reality: The Emerging Quantum Economy.” Meanwhile, Professor Eun-Ah Kim of Cornell University is slated to speak on the intersection of quantum technologies and artificial intelligence, focusing on complexity theory.
The international conference will be held in the Future Room during the event. Under the common theme of “Quantum Technology: Crisis and Opportunity,” a total of eight sessions were planned, including quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum science, with 24 leading scholars from domestic and international institutions presenting. Separately, the industry conference will be held on the 25th, followed by discussions on industrial trends and cooperation initiatives in each country with three keywords: “Industry,” “Nation,” and “Region.” Thirteen industry associations and experts from the United States, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea will participate as presenters.
The exhibition includes prominent participants such as the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Seoul National University, and POSTECH, alongside leading telecom companies KT, SK Telecom, and LG Uplus. Notable mid-sized firms like MegazoneCloud and SDT also joined. Overseas participants include IBM, IonQ, QuEra, Quandela, and Zurich Instruments. The central stage inside the exhibition hall features continuous technical demonstrations. The Quantum Business Networking Night, held in conjunction with the exhibition, is drawing attention as a key venue for forging partnerships and technological collaboration.
International cooperation is also a core focus. The Ministry of Science and ICT hosted bilateral roundtable meetings with the EU, QED-C (USA), and Finland, while Korea, Denmark, Switzerland, and the Netherlands held a joint presentation session. A collaborative workshop with the OECD is also taking place, aimed at strengthening policy alignment in the global quantum arena.
Programs for the public are a significant component as well. On September 25, Kyung Hee University Professor Sang Wook Kim, and science communicator Orbit will present a special lecture titled “Quantum Class That Stands Out.” On the 26th, a live talk show under the theme “Time to Change the World” will be held, featuring Sungkyunkwan University’s Yonuk Chong, KAIST’s Kab-Jin Kim, ETRI’s Eun-ok Bae, IDQ Korea’s Sangyun Uhm, and Yonsei University’s Kyungdeock Park, who will discuss the societal implications and potential applications of quantum technologies.
Minister Yoo emphasized, “Korea envisions a bold leap forward in quantum technology. Quantum Korea is not only the launchpad for that vision but also a trusted platform for global cooperation.”
The event began accepting pre-registration on June 19, and on-site registration is available throughout the event. Further details on the program and participating companies can be found on the official Quantum Korea 2025 website.