Key Highlights :
Korea and the United States are expanding cooperation in advanced science and technology sectors such as space, quantum technology and biotechnology in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Washington last month, according to the science ministry, Thursday. The Ministry of Science and ICT said that bilateral tech cooperation is expanding and building a solid partnership with the U.S., a technological leader, is essential for Korea as countries are competing fiercely to secure technological leadership.
During President Yoon's trip to the U.S., he visited NASA's Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the science ministry and NASA issued a joint statement on space cooperation. President Yoon said that the joint statement between Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and NASA marks a significant step forward in bilateral space cooperation to a full-fledged space alliance. The two countries will upgrade their cooperation, which has so far been centered on individual research institutes, to strategic cooperation among industry, academia, research and government. To promote joint projects with NASA, the science ministry plans to collect opinions from industry, academia and research institutes in Korea.
In the field of quantum technology, the ministry strengthened its cooperation system by joining a bilateral multilateral consultative group led by the U.S. The two countries will hold roundtables with experts this month and next to beef up collaboration in the field. In the bio sector, the ministry is scheduled next month to announce what it calls the Digital Bio Initiative, presenting a blueprint for Korea's digital bio sector, following President Yoon's conversation with experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) last month. To discuss a follow-up measure, the two nations will hold the 11th meeting of the Korea-U.S. joint committee on science and technology, a ministerial-level meeting, in Seoul on May 19.
The science ministry also expects changes to the policy on U.S. satellite parts exports to have a positive effect on domestic launch vehicle service providers' market entry. The ministry will continuously monitor the new policy to ensure that domestic industry will benefit. In addition, the ministry plans to hold a space industry forum with the U.S. later this year to expand cooperation opportunities.
The Korea-U.S. cooperation in advanced science and technology sectors is expected to bring great benefits to both countries. By working together, the two countries can become global technological powerhouses and further develop their space, quantum technology and biotechnology sectors. The partnership between Korea and the U.S. is expected to be mutually beneficial, as both countries have a lot to gain from increased collaboration in these advanced sectors.