South Korea, Finland deepen 6G, quantum ties; invite to 6G Vision Fest in Seoul

South Korea’s First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Gu Hyuk-chai, met with Antti Vasara, Finland’s technology envoy, at the National Science and Technology Council. The Finnish side requested the discussion, which focused on strengthening strategic cooperation in advanced science and technology, including quantum, 6G, and artificial intelligence.

During the talks, Seoul officially invited Finland’s representatives to the 6G Vision Fest in December in Seoul, signaling a push to share leadership in next-generation communications and deepen bilateral collaboration.

The two sides also discussed expanding practical joint research, leveraging Korea’s pursuit of Horizon Europe association to broaden work with Tampere University and Korea Institute of Science and Technology on projects such as soft robotics.

Gu emphasized that quantum, 6G, and cyber security are core strategic technologies for the future digital ecosystem, arguing that Korea’s manufacturing strength and Finland’s core technologies and security philosophy should combine to design a safe, intelligent next-generation network.

Antti Vasara noted Korea’s priority status as a science and technology partner and pointed to ongoing exchanges in quantum and 6G. He indicated that Korea will chair an international standards conference on quantum information technology in May, to be hosted in Finland, presenting an opportunity for the two countries to influence global standards jointly.

The talks also reflect Korea’s push to join Horizon Europe as an associate member, a move that would enable closer collaboration with European research institutions and access to EU funding while aligning on emerging technology standards.

For U.S. readers, the discussions signal growing transatlantic collaboration on strategic frontier technologies—quantum information, next-generation networks, and cyber security—through joint research, standards development, and cross-border projects. Initiatives like the 6G Vision Fest and the soft robotics partnership could affect global supply chains for telecommunications equipment and digital infrastructure, with potential implications for U.S. technology policy and markets.