South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) will hold the first quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC) transition competition and hackathon and begin recruiting participants from Oct. 1.

Quantum-resistant cryptography is a next-generation encryption technology designed to be difficult to decrypt even with quantum computers, using complex mathematical structures such as lattice- and hash-based approaches. As advances in quantum computing have raised concerns that existing public-key cryptography could be undermined, the ministry is building a foundation for PQC transition through pilot conversions by industry sector, research and development, and specialised training.

The event, being held for the first time this year, aims to find solutions to PQC transition issues that may arise in industrial settings and to secure technical capabilities to convert encryption systems in real systems. It is split into a competition centred on proposing and presenting ideas and a hackathon that applies technology directly in a virtual environment.

The competition will solicit solutions and ideas for problems that occur during the PQC transition process. It will evaluate the appropriateness, specificity and feasibility of proposals, and select winning teams through a document review followed by final presentations and Q&A.

The hackathon will proceed by having participants directly convert existing cryptographic systems to PQC based on a given scenario and virtual environment. It will determine final winners by evaluating the completeness of the transition, whether services operate normally, and performance before and after the conversion.

The event is open to members of the public interested in PQC. Applicants can apply individually or as teams in student and general categories. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 30. A joint awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 26. Winning teams will receive a total of 10 certificates, including 2 deputy prime minister awards and 4 KISA president awards, along with prize money totalling 12 million won.

Im Jeong-gyu (임정규), director general for Information Security and Network Policy at the ministry, said, "To respond without disruption to security threats from quantum computers, it is essential to spread social awareness of cryptographic system transition and develop practical ideas." He added, "I hope this competition will serve as an opportunity to strengthen national-level PQC capabilities and discover and nurture outstanding security talent."