South Korea unveils 2026 National NEXT plan to expand tech sovereignty

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced the 2026 implementation plan for National Strategic Technologies, aiming to expand the country’s technology sovereignty amid global tech competition. The plan brings together 23 ministries to mobilize a total of 8.6 trillion won for strategic technology development and investment this year.

The core framework centers on what officials call the NEXT strategy—prioritizing continuous growth support, comprehensive technology security, and mission-driven policy. The government plans to overhaul the national strategic technology system in the first half of the year, with a focus on upgrading governance, and aligning technology, investment, and policy under a unified plan.

The new strategy calls for a heightened R&D push, with 2026 funding for national strategic technologies rising by 30 percent to 8.6 trillion won. Policy financing will total about 46.6 trillion won, complemented by a newly launched 763.2 billion won Science and Technology Innovation Fund that targets five priority sectors, including semiconductors, displays, and artificial intelligence.

Support under the plan is designed to cover the entire lifecycle of strategic-technology ventures—from startup creation to international market entry and patent acquisition. The government will build regional research and demonstration infrastructures, cultivate and attract strategic-technology talents, and expand private-public collaboration platforms to accelerate commercialization.

Regional innovation hubs and specialized research institutes will anchor deployment of results. Jeju Island’s green hydrogen program and North Jeolla Province’s focus on secondary batteries are highlighted as focal points, with the aim of turning these regions into centers of practical technology diffusion and growth for strategic sectors.

On the global stage, Seoul intends to play a leading role in setting norms and standards for AI, semiconductors, and quantum technologies through active participation in multilateral forums. The administration plans to strengthen international research collaboration, including through foreign partnerships and labs such as the Global AI Frontier Lab, to bolster cross-border innovation.

Security and defense considerations are also being integrated. The plan contemplates tightening research-security controls under revised national acts, while directing concentrated investments in AI, unmanned systems, and defense semiconductors to safeguard the country’s advanced weaponry and critical technologies. A broader governance framework aims to prevent vulnerabilities in the technology supply chain.

Officials described a broader initiative called the National NEXT Project, designed to link technology, policy, and investment under a single national pursuit. The government will also operate a policy collaboration platform to keep private and public sectors aligned as a single “one-team” unit, and it plans to phase out the Planning Budget System to shift more decisively toward outcomes-focused funding.

Park In-kyu, head of the National Strategic Technology Innovation Office, emphasized that growing geopolitical tensions make strategic technologies essential for both economy and security. He said the government would push ahead with cross-ministerial collaboration to accelerate results and build a robust ecosystem capable of competing in global technology leadership.