Korea and France to Strengthen Cooperation in AI, Semiconductors, and Quantum Technology... Regular Meetings to Be Held

Joint Research Among Researchers and Discovery of Innovative Corporate Projects

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Hae-joon Bae and Roland Lescure, French Minister of Economy, Finance, Industry, Energy and Digital Sovereignty, took a commemorative photo on the 8th (local time) at the Élysée Palace in Paris after exchanging a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum technology, attended by President Jae-myung Lee and French President Emmanuel Macron. 2026.9.9 Yonhap News Agency

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that on the 8th (local time), coinciding with President Jae-myung Lee’s state visit to France, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in Paris, France to strengthen cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and quantum technology.

The MOU is based on the letter of intent (LoI) for expanding cooperation in AI, semiconductors, and quantum technology, which was signed during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Korea on April 3.

Through this agreement, the two countries agreed to hold regular meetings in the fields of AI and quantum technology, promote joint research between researchers and discover innovative enterprise projects, and attract investments for mutual market entry. The MOU establishes a practical cooperation framework, ensuring sustained collaboration rather than a one-off event.

The Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) and INSA Toulouse, the French National Institute of Applied Sciences in Toulouse, will lay the groundwork for a global research cooperation system in the fields of life science and biotechnology. The Paris-Saclay Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS2) will work together with Korean institutions on next-generation crop technology for responding to climate change using AI. Furthermore, in the quantum field, cooperation will continue as KRIBB partners with Quandela, a leading French company in photonic-based quantum computing, to initiate joint research on developing next-generation drugs by integrating quantum computing.

In addition, academic and personnel exchanges between major universities and research institutes in both countries will be expanded. K-STAR, the association of Korea's science and technology specialized universities, and Paris-Saclay University, one of Europe’s top research universities, signed an inter-university MOU to facilitate research lab internships for university (and graduate) students, support young researchers, and activate joint networking. The Korea Institute for Advanced Study will also collaborate with Paris-Saclay University on joint research in basic scientific fields such as mathematics and physics, as well as in quantum and AI, and will operate a Student Fellow program.

Hae-Joon Bae, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, said, “With President Jae-myung Lee’s state visit to France, the two countries have firmly established themselves as a true ‘science-technology·digital alliance’ in future strategic technology areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and advanced biotechnology.” He added, “We will do our utmost to ensure that this leads to tangible joint research and development (R&D) and talent exchange results that are keenly felt by leading universities, research institutes, and innovative enterprises in both countries—going beyond just a government-level cooperation framework.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.