The Korea Quantum Industry Association (KQIA) is accelerating the commercialization of the domestic quantum industry and securing global competitiveness by appointing a new leader and launching its second Board of Directors.
The KQIA announced on the 17th that Seong-Hyok Kim, Vice President of the AI Perception and Quantum AI Lab at LG Electronics, was appointed as the second Chairperson of the association during a general meeting and board meeting held at the Korea Intellectual Property Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on January 28.
Chairperson Kim is a key figure who has led the development of quantum computing and next-generation AI technologies at LG Electronics, making him the ideal person to expand the application of technology centered on industrial sites. The industry is noting that this appointment could mark a rapid transition of quantum technology from the R&D stage to practical industrial application.
The newly launched second Board of Directors is characterized by a significant expansion of its industrial scope. With LG Electronics serving as the chair company, the vice-chair companies include Norma, MegazoneCloud, and Orientom. The board of directors includes Samsung Display, Shinhan Financial Group, ID Quantique (IDQ), SDT, SK Telecom, Kolon Benit, Quantum Intelligence, Qunova Computing, KT, PharmCADD, and Korea Quantum Computing (KQC).
Analysts suggest that by moving beyond a focus on telecommunications and security to include various sectors such as finance, bio, and display, a foundation has been laid to expand the scope of quantum technology into practical business domains.
Chairperson Kim stated, “Quantum technology is a core asset that determines national competitiveness. Through cooperation among member companies, we will accelerate the commercialization of technology and establish a private-sector-led industrial ecosystem linked with government policies.”
Since its launch in November 2022, the association has grown rapidly, securing 112 member companies. Moving forward, the KQIA plans to boost the international competitiveness of the domestic quantum industry by proposing policies that reflect industrial demand, discovering convergence models for each sector, and expanding overseas cooperation.