South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT has doubled the target for superconducting qubits' information retention time a year after launching its Quantum Science and Technology Flagship Project.

The ministry held the Quantum Science and Technology Flagship Project annual meeting on Monday at Hotel Onoma in Daejeon.

About 150 researchers and officials attended from 26 tasks across three major areas: quantum computing, quantum communications and quantum sensing. They shared progress and key achievements since research began in October last year.

The Quantum Science and Technology Flagship Project is a research and development programme to secure core technologies in quantum and strengthen industrialisation capabilities. The government is investing about 360.4 billion won in the first phase from 2025 to 2029, supporting 26 tasks in total: 7 in quantum computing, 6 in quantum communications and 13 in quantum sensing.

In quantum computing, it secured a coherence time of at least 100 microseconds for superconducting qubits. That is double the 2027 target of 50 microseconds, meeting the goal early within a year of starting the programme.

In two-qubit entangling operations, a core technology for quantum computation, it recorded accuracy of about 99 percent. The ministry expects the achievement to become the foundation for developing a 100-qubit-class superconducting quantum processor with error correction, targeted for 2029.

In quantum communications, it shared results including patent applications for related technologies such as solid-state quantum repeaters, all-photonic quantum repeaters and quantum light conversion devices. Quantum repeaters are a core technology to solve quantum signal loss that occurs during long-distance transmission.

In quantum sensing, it will present results on developing a compact magnetic field sensor using diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres. The sensor operates at room temperature and can be miniaturised. It can measure subtle changes in the heart's magnetic field without attaching electrodes, and it is expected to be used in the future for diagnostic equipment for heart diseases such as myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia.

The ministry will use the research results to identify technologies with high potential for industrial use and explore early commercialisation measures.

Yoon Kyung-sook (윤경숙), director general for Basic and Fundamental Research Policy at the ministry, said the flagship project is a key programme to secure South Korea's quantum technology competitiveness. She said the ministry will actively support efforts to promote collaboration among researchers and accelerate the creation of innovative research results that drive the seven SEEDs.