Koo Hyeok-chae, first vice minister of science and ICT, speaks at the "Limit Challenge ASTRA (Advanced Science & Technology Research Agency) Day" event held Tuesday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Limit Challenge Strategy Center]
Koo Hyeok-chae, first vice minister of science and ICT, speaks at the "Limit Challenge ASTRA (Advanced Science & Technology Research Agency) Day" event held Tuesday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Limit Challenge Strategy Center]

The government is strengthening its support framework for high-risk, high-reward research — projects with a significant chance of failure but the potential for transformative social and economic impact if they succeed.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea held the Limit Challenge ASTRA Day event on Tuesday, bringing together the Samsung Electronics Future Technology Incubation Center, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology and researchers conducting Limit Challenge R&D projects to discuss ways to broaden the dissemination of research outcomes.

The Limit Challenge R&D program is a flagship high-risk, high-reward research model run by the Ministry of Science and ICT. Dedicated project managers with expertise in research planning and administration identify research topics with large potential impact, then provide close oversight and progress monitoring throughout the development process to accelerate the creation of transformative technologies.

At Tuesday's event, participants presented the content and progress of Limit Challenge R&D projects that have been under way since 2024, and shared information on how both the private and public sectors support ambitious research — including through the Samsung Future Technology Incubation Program and the government's technology-commercialization support initiative.

Discussions also focused on ways to link the Limit Challenge R&D program with the Samsung Future Technology Incubation Program and the public technology-commercialization support initiative, so that researchers can factor in the potential for technology transfer and startup creation from the earliest stages of development.

Kim Hyun-su, a senior executive at the Samsung Electronics Future Technology Incubation Center, introduced the operating model and key funding cases of the Samsung Future Technology Incubation Program — one of the country's leading private science and technology research support programs — and proposed collaboration to generate synergies with outstanding Limit Challenge R&D projects.

Kim Tae-hyeon, a division head at the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, outlined ways to support technology validation, follow-on research and development, technology transfer and startup formation, tailored to the characteristics and maturity of each public research outcome.

First Vice Minister Koo Hyeok-chae said the ministry would "strengthen ties with a range of private and public follow-on support programs so that researchers can develop technologies with an eye toward eventual commercialization." He added that the ministry would "actively support bold research so that it translates into meaningful results and new industrial and social value that benefits the public."


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