By Ian Werther in News — 14 Mar 2026

South Korea approves 2026 plan to boost National Strategic Technologies investment

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced the 2026 implementation plan for the nation’s National Strategic Technologies (NSTs). The planned NST R&D investment for 2026 is 8.6 trillion won, up about 30% from the previous year, as part of a broader push to strengthen technologic leadership amid global competition.

The plan was approved at the 13th meeting of the National NST Special Committee, chaired by Park In-gyu, head of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau at the ministry. It sits under the National Strategy for NST Development, a long‑term policy framework created by the Special Act on NST Development.

Officials said the 2026 implementation plan aims to establish a NEXT framework to sustain and advance core NSTs, with a focus on elevating the entire NST system in the first half of 2026. The government intends to shift toward the new framework as part of a broader modernization of how Korea manages and deploys strategic technologies.

Elephant in the dry riverbed of the Mutlumuvi River, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, South AfricaPlanning began in the 1890s, when South African bishop Jacob Louis Grobler and other conservationists pushed for the protection of wildlife. In 1898, the area was recognized as a protected area under the administration of the South African government. In 1902/1903, the protected areas of the Kingdom of Swaziland and the region formed the first state-mandated protected area system, which eventually became Kruger National Park. In 1906, major conservation measures came into force to protect wildlife from poaching and hunting. In 1916, the Kruger National Park was formally established by the South African National Parks Act, which designated the park as a state reserve. In the 1920s, the park was opened to visitors. From 1930 onwards, the park continued to grow through the expansion of its territory. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Three core objectives anchor the plan: ensure nonstop growth to secure NEXT NSTs; mount a comprehensive technology security posture to respond to NEXT challenges; and implement a mission‑driven policy framework designed to create NEXT technologies and future growth engines. The aim is to consolidate national capability to safeguard tech sovereignty and drive new sources of growth.

Financial scaffolding accompanies the plan. The government has earmarked 46.6 trillion won in policy financing to support NST R&D and related activities, with further expansion planned for 2027. In February, Korea also launched the first Science and Technology Innovation Fund (STIF), worth 7.632 trillion won, to back five NST fields including semiconductor, display, and AI.

Giraffe (near the Pretoriuskop–Skukuza Road/Napi Road south of Skukuza), Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, South AfricaPlanning began in the 1890s, when South African bishop Jacob Louis Grobler and other conservationists pushed for the protection of wildlife. In 1898, the area was recognized as a protected area under the administration of the South African government. In 1902/1903, the protected areas of the Kingdom of Swaziland and the region formed the first state-mandated protected area system, which eventually became Kruger National Park. In 1906, major conservation measures came into force to protect wildlife from poaching and hunting. In 1916, the Kruger National Park was formally established by the South African National Parks Act, which designated the park as a state reserve. In the 1920s, the park was opened to visitors. From 1930 onwards, the park continued to grow through the expansion of its territory. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Officials say the NST framework will be updated to reflect rapidly changing international conditions and shifting policies among major powers, with AI transformation identified as a starting point for the reform. The objective is to align Korea’s technology strategy with evolving global standards and incentives.

Park In-kyu underscored that, as geopolitical frictions intensify, strategic technologies have become essential assets for both the economy and national security. He said cross‑ministry collaboration would be strengthened to accelerate results and to build a robust NST innovation ecosystem capable of competing in global tech leadership.

Why this matters beyond Korea: Korea is a major player in high-tech supply chains, notably in semiconductors and displays, and is a key node for AI and other advanced industries. The plan signals Korea’s intent to secure critical technologies domestically while shaping international collaboration and competition. For U.S. readers, the development could influence supply chain resilience, joint R&D or co-investment opportunities, and broader technology policy and market dynamics in AI, semiconductors, and next‑generation display technologies.

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