World's largest quantum tech event returns to Seoul with global momentum
Korea is ramping up efforts to bolster global cooperation in the quantum ecosystem as Quantum Korea 2025 kicked off Tuesday at the Yangjae aT Center in southern Seoul.
According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the host of Quantum Korea, the event, which is held from Tuesday to Thursday, has brought together 57 quantum companies and organizations from eight countries. Over 5,500 people attended the global quantum event in Korea last year, solidifying its position as the world's biggest quantum gathering since it began in 2023.
'We are entering the era of quantum error correction and the next five years will see significant advances in performance. …This is going to be a very exciting period,' said Oskar Painter, director of quantum hardware at Amazon Web Services who doubles as professor of physics at Caltech, in his keynote speech on the opening day of Quantum Korea 2025.
To bolster international quantum cooperation and partnerships, the Ministry of Science and ICT has put together roundtables with the delegates from the European Union, the United States' Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) and Finland. The Korean government is also holding an open seminar with quantum experts from Korea, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The science ministry has organized eight international conferences that cover four areas of quantum computing, quantum communications, quantum sensing and quantum science by inviting 24 prominent scholars from around the globe.
'There are many countries investing public money in quantum technology. … The top five countries include China, US, UK, Germany and South Korea. So right here, what is happening is very impressive,' said Celia Merzbacher, executive director of the QED-C, in her keynote speech, noting that the total of global quantum investments amounts to $55 billion.
'The market (for quantum computing) is growing, but it's still early stage, so it is important for governments to continue to invest and bridge into the future.'
As the United Nations proclaimed this year the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, with the global quantum community celebrating the 100th anniversary of the initial development of quantum mechanics, countries across the globe are pouring investments into the quantum industry.
To that end, Quantum Korea 2025 is holding special industry conferences on the trend and revolution of global quantum technology, the status of the quantum industry ecosystem by country and efforts to establish global quantum clusters. A total of 13 representatives from the quantum industry in the US, EU, Japan and Korea will deliver their insights.
The exhibition hall will feature the latest studies and products from the participating companies and organizations including the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science; major universities and state-run science research institutes as well as leading telecommunication carriers such as SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus from Korea; Quandela, a French company specializing in the development of photonic quantum computers; IBM, IonQ, a US quantum computer manufacturer; QuEra, a US provider of neutral atoms-based quantum computers; and Zurich Instrument, a Swiss test and measurement company.
'Like the slogan of Quantum Korea 2025 — '100 Years of Quantum, Awakening Industry '' — Korea is seeking to take a bigger leap in quantum technology,' said Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im.
'We hope Quantum Korea 2025 will serve as a platform for achieving such a vision and strengthening partners of reciprocal trust without borders.'
A report from the QED-C showed that the broad quantum industry generated $1.45 billion in revenue in 2024 and is growing at 25-plus percent annually. According to McKinsey & Company, the quantum sector and related sectors are projected to create a $2 trillion won industry worldwide by 2035 as quantum technologies are expected to solve the problems of massive power generation and large-scale data computing in the era of AI that will lead unprecedented innovation across all industrial sectors such as energy, bio, finance, logistics and manufacturing.
Quantum Korea 2025 is accepting on-site registrations at the Yangjae aT Center. More detailed information about the event can be found on its official website.
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