South Korea targets moon landing, fusion power and 100-qubit quantum computer by 2030s under '7 SEED' plan

The government has designated seven sectors — small modular reactors, nuclear fusion, quantum computing, space and aviation, advanced biotech, and critical minerals and materials — as national future growth engines, with plans to capture global market leadership within 10 to 20 years.

The Ministry of Science and ICT unveiled the initiative Wednesday at Cheong Wa Dae's Chungmu Hall in a joint presentation with related ministries, releasing a roadmap titled the "7 SEED Future Growth Engine Plan."

SEED stands for Strategic Emerging Engines for Disruptive innovation. The government will organize the seven sectors into three clusters — clean energy, next-generation frontiers and advanced supply chains — and concentrate investment in each.

On SMRs, the government set a target of commercial deployment by 2035, with construction of non-light-water SMRs to begin in the 2030s. Public-private joint detailed design work will begin in 2027, with advanced technologies such as digital twins used to accelerate demonstration. For non-light-water SMRs, a public-private joint SPC will be formed from the early development stage to pursue global market leadership.

For nuclear fusion, the government aims to complete a "Korean innovative fusion reactor" by 2035 and achieve electricity generation by the late 2030s. An AI-based "virtual fusion reactor" will be built to automate and optimize design and control, while development of a commercial reactor will proceed in parallel with a target of commercial power supply in the 2040s.

In renewable energy, the plan calls for securing perovskite tandem solar cells with efficiency exceeding 35 percent, space-based solar power, ultra-large wind turbines of 20 megawatts or more, and floating offshore wind technology. Next-generation power infrastructure — including large-scale water electrolysis, HVDC transmission and superconducting power grids — will also be developed.

The second cluster focuses on "next-generation frontier" technologies in areas humanity has yet to fully explore.

In quantum computing, the government plans to secure a 100-qubit-class quantum processing unit capable of error correction by 2029. A "K-Quantum Foundry" leveraging domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities will be established to build a mass-production system for quantum chips, with the goal of achieving world-class quantum chip manufacturing capacity by 2035.

In space, the government plans a sequential launch program: a lunar orbiting communications satellite in 2029, a 700-kilogram lunar lander in 2030, a deep-space science probe in 2031, and a 1,800-kilogram lunar lander in 2032. A Korean low-Earth-orbit satellite communications network will be established by 2035 to prepare for next-generation 6G service competition.

In advanced biotech, the government will build AI biotech infrastructure by 2030, including a cancer-specialized AI system, an AI- and robot-based autonomous laboratory, and a biofoundry. It will also secure core brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, with a goal of commercializing BCI products by 2035 that allow users to input information or control machines through thought alone.

To reduce dependence on specific countries for critical minerals, materials, components and equipment, the government will expand domestic recycling and production capacity. It aims to raise the recycling rate for 10 key critical minerals to 20 percent by 2030 through refining and recycling technology. For items difficult to produce domestically, the number of stockpiled items will expand from 24 to 29 types, and the maximum stockpiling period will extend from 180 days to 365 days.

To strengthen supply chain capabilities in materials, components and equipment, the government will invest 10 trillion won ($7.07 billion) in research and development over five years.

To ensure the success of the 7 SEED initiative, the government will also strengthen research capacity at universities, government-funded research institutes and private companies. Universities will receive a block-funding research support system, while government-funded institutes will be restructured into mission-driven research bodies in line with the abolition of the project-based salary system. Support for deep tech startups and corporate R&D will be expanded, and an "investment-type R&D" model involving joint government-industry funding will be introduced.

The government will form a public-private "Future Pioneer Task Force" led by the deputy prime minister, and will use the Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting to review project-by-project roadmaps and track progress. Regulatory and legal barriers will also be proactively addressed.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said the 7 SEED initiative aims to go beyond short-term technology development to secure global leadership in future industries, and to build a virtuous cycle in which capabilities and capital generated by existing growth engines such as AI and semiconductors are reinvested in next-generation technologies.