South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT has begun drafting a long-term future strategy to help the country become a science and technology powerhouse by 2045.

The ministry on Wednesday held a launch ceremony for the "2045 Science and Technology Frontier Strategy Committee" and convened its first plenary meeting. The committee was formed to draw up a long-term science and technology future strategy to help South Korea establish technological sovereignty and advance to become a science and technology powerhouse (G3) by 2045, the 100th anniversary of liberation.

The ministry will draw up the Republic of Korea 2045 Science and Technology Frontier Strategy, a detailed plan tailored to science and technology, in connection with the government's "Republic of Korea 2045 National Development Strategy". The strategy focuses on identifying future technology demand and presenting a direction for transforming the national science and technology system, at a time when advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum are changing security and the international order.

The ministry will operate the committee to broadly reflect views from experts in industry, academia and research during the strategy-setting process. The committee will consist of a plenary committee and 8 subcommittees. The plenary committee will be co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Science Minister Kyung-hoon Bae (배경훈) and KAIST President Kwang-hyung Lee (이광형), and will handle coordination and advice on the overall strategy-setting process. The 8 subcommittees will cover future design, superintelligence and hyperconnectivity, life and healthcare, climate, environment and energy, future mobility, space and deep sea, future materials and manufacturing, and innovation policy.

The committee also serves as a follow-up implementation framework to the "Science and Technology and AI Future Strategy Meeting" held in May under the chairmanship of the deputy prime minister. While the earlier meeting focused on identifying future agendas arising from advances in science and technology and AI, the committee will concentrate on identifying future technology demand and policy and institutional implementation tasks.

At the launch ceremony, the co-chairs delivered opening remarks, followed by a presentation on the direction of the 2045 frontier strategy. A free discussion addressed the historical meaning of science and technology in 2045, future visions, the direction of evolution in AI and quantum technologies, ethical and social issues brought by advanced technologies, and tasks for transforming the national science and technology system.

Starting with the launch ceremony, the ministry will begin full operation of each subcommittee. It will release an interim draft strategy within this year to gather views from various sectors. The final strategy will be released in April 2027, marking the 60th anniversary of science and technology.

Deputy Prime Minister Bae said, "In 2045, the 100th anniversary of liberation, the Republic of Korea must firmly establish technological sovereignty and position itself as a science and technology powerhouse that contributes to human progress." He added, "I will do my best to prepare the next 20 years of the Republic of Korea's science and technology by bringing together the wisdom of top experts in each field."