Ku Hyeok-chae (구혁채), first vice minister at South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT, met Finland's technology envoy Antti Vasara (Antti Vasara) on Thursday at the National Science and Technology Advisory Council in Seoul. They discussed ways to strengthen advanced science and technology partnerships between the two countries.

The meeting was arranged following a proposal by the Finnish government to expand cooperation with South Korea, which Finland sees as having world-leading ICT manufacturing and commercialisation capabilities, in future game-changer technologies such as quantum, 6G and artificial intelligence (AI).

Ku highlighted combining Finland's foundational technology strengths with South Korea's ICT manufacturing capabilities. "Quantum, 6G and cybersecurity are core strategic technologies for future digital hegemony," he said. "I hope South Korea's manufacturing and operational capabilities and Finland's foundational technology and security philosophy will come together to design the safest and most intelligent future networks," he added.

Vasara said South Korea is a key science and technology partner that Finland prioritises and that the two countries have maintained ongoing exchanges in quantum and 6G. "A general assembly for international de facto standardisation of quantum information technology led by South Korea will be held in Finland in May, so let us lead global technology standards together through cooperation between the two countries," he said.

Ku formally invited a Finnish delegation from industry, academia and research institutions to the "6G Vision Fest" to be held in Seoul in December this year. He proposed that the two countries work together to secure leadership in next-generation communications. The two sides also agreed to expand joint research, including a "soft robotics" project being carried out jointly by Tampere University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), following South Korea's joining Horizon Europe as an associate member country.

Ku said he plans to continue strengthening personnel exchanges with European researchers and science and technology ties, using technological solidarity with Finland as a foundation.