The government has prepared an implementation plan to secure strategic technologies based on cooperation among ministries. It will invest 8.6 trillion won in national strategic technology research and development (R&D) this year and push a transition to a new strategic technology system.

The Ministry of Science and ICT on Thursday held the 13th National Strategic Technology Special Committee meeting and approved the 2026 implementation plan under the first basic plan for fostering national strategic technologies for 2024 to 2028.

The 2026 plan aims to set a "NEXT core strategy" to foster and secure NEXT strategic technologies. Its key focus is to advance the national strategic technology framework in the first half of this year and push a shift to a new strategic technology system.

The government will focus on fostering and securing national strategic technologies to help secure technological sovereignty and create future growth engines. It will do so around three core goals: uninterrupted growth support to secure NEXT strategic technologies, all-around technology security to respond to NEXT, and a mission-oriented policy system that creates NEXT.

◆Accelerating growth support to secure NEXT strategic technologies

It will build an innovation ecosystem so that national strategic technology R&D results can lead to technology acquisition through commercialisation and other routes. It will strengthen full-cycle support for strategic technology developers, from start-ups to overseas expansion and patent acquisition. It will build regional research and demonstration infrastructure and continue efforts to foster talent in national strategic technologies.

It will strengthen linkages among technology, investment and policy based on cooperation under an all-ministry technology management system. Under a direction to reorganise and strengthen cooperation in the all-ministry technology management system approved at the fifth meeting of science and technology-related ministers, it will first pursue cooperation by deriving 19 common technology areas from 513 technologies covered by four strategic technology-related laws and regulations with high policy importance and impact.

It will also raise 2026 national strategic technology R&D investment by 30 percent from a year earlier to 8.6 trillion won to ensure that strategic technology designations lead to results. The government aims to supply 46.6 trillion won in policy financing this year. In February, it also launched the first science and technology innovation fund worth 763.2 billion won targeting five national strategic technology areas including semiconductors and displays and artificial intelligence (AI).

It will support researchers' challenging start-ups and promote market entry for R&D outcomes in strategic technology fields in connection with public procurement. It will support corporate R&D and overseas expansion for leading start-ups in strategic technology fields and expand benefits for "strategic technology confirmed companies", including additional points in R&D projects and tailored financial and non-financial support.

It will also accelerate the spread of strategic technology achievements around regional technology innovation hubs such as Jeju (green hydrogen) and North Jeolla (secondary batteries), and specialised research institutes that are leading research organisations in strategic technology fields. It will advance data-based science and technology talent policies and foster strategic technology-AI convergence talent. It will also pursue support for overseas researchers' settlement and assistance by researchers' growth stages.

◆Strengthening all-around technology security... adopting a mission-oriented policy system

It will revamp the technology system in the first half of this year, considering a proposed set of NEXT strategic technology missions to lead AI transition, secure leadership in trade and security, and create a foundation for future innovation. It also plans to 추진 government R&D quickly and efficiently by scrapping preliminary feasibility studies for R&D and introducing a follow-up preliminary inspection system.

It will actively participate in major multilateral consultative bodies in national strategic technology fields such as AI, semiconductors and quantum technology to lead the establishment of global norms and standards. It will invigorate global cooperation, including international joint research, through research cooperation hubs at home and abroad such as the Global AI Frontier Lab.

It will also review adjustments to the strategic technology protection system following revisions to the National R&D Innovation Act related to research security that refined security levels. The revised act created a new category of "sensitive tasks" that are not classified as security tasks but require additional management in light of their potential impact on the country if leaked. The government also plans to pursue early acquisition of advanced weapons through focused investment in defence strategic technologies such as AI, unmanned systems and defence semiconductors.

It will fully introduce the "National Strategic Technology Leading NEXT Project" through linkage of technology, policy and investment to achieve national missions. It will also build a research system that can focus on creating results by gradually abolishing the project-based system (PBS).

The committee was also briefed that day on the results of a specific evaluation of the first phase, from 2023 to 2025, of the "innovative small modular reactor technology development project (i-SMR)" under the national strategic technology flagship project. The evaluation confirmed that the i-SMR project is proceeding normally in stages.

Park In-gyu (박인규), head of the Science and Technology Innovation Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT and chair of the committee, said rising geopolitical conflict has made strategic technologies a core asset shaping a country's economy and security. He said the government will strengthen support to foster and secure national strategic technologies through inter-ministerial cooperation and build an innovation ecosystem for national strategic technologies to overcome global competition for technological hegemony.