Three regions to build a supra-regional global quantum hub from 2027 to 2030

Busan to serve as the core of quantum R&D and technology support

Ulsan to maximize research synergies between UNIST and Pusan National University

South Gyeongsang Province to lead demand identification and field demonstration for quantum sensing

National and local funding to be split equally among the three regions

The "Southeast Quantum Sensing Cluster" jointly pursued by Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province [Provided by Ulsan city government]
The "Southeast Quantum Sensing Cluster" jointly pursued by Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province [Provided by Ulsan city government]

The "Southeast Quantum Sensing Cluster," a joint bid by Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, has been selected for the national quantum cluster program run by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

South Gyeongsang Province announced Wednesday that the three regions will invest national and local funds over four years from 2027 to 2030 to build a supra-regional "Global Quantum Hub" integrating quantum technology into the area's key manufacturing industries, including shipbuilding and marine, aerospace and defense, and mobility and energy.

The project will operate through a network of two technology hubs responsible for R&D and four demand hubs reflecting industrial needs. The plan is to build a full-cycle quantum industry ecosystem centered on quantum sensing — the project's core specialization — encompassing materials, components and equipment development, dedicated algorithm R&D, and the training of industry-convergence talent.

Busan will serve as the central axis for quantum R&D and technology support. The Quantum Science and Technology Center at Pusan National University will operate as the primary technology hub for foundational research and testing and certification. Busan will also lead field-based demonstration projects leveraging its port, logistics, and shipbuilding and marine infrastructure. The city plans to pioneer quantum sensing in smart port automated logistics systems and ultra-precision control technology for marine exploration equipment, driving a deep tech transition across the southeast region's industries.

Ulsan will establish the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) as a second core technology hub, maximizing R&D synergies with Pusan National University. The city will focus on supporting the commercial validation of industrial quantum sensing applications — including non-destructive inspection of secondary battery defects and ultra-precise sensors for hazardous gases and chemical reactions — by linking the hub to its leading mobility and energy industries such as next-generation eco-friendly vehicles, the hydrogen economy and petrochemicals.

South Gyeongsang Province, armed with the country's largest manufacturing production infrastructure, will oversee large-scale demand identification for quantum sensing technology and industrial field demonstration. It will organically connect Sacheon's aerospace manufacturing base with the precision machinery and defense clusters in Changwon and Gimhae, channeling advanced technologies developed at the research hubs directly into industrial sites. The province aims to apply quantum sensing — capable of detecting minute signals even in extreme environments — to aircraft engines, precision seekers for guided weapons, and structural diagnostics for offshore plant facilities, securing a decisive global technology edge for the region's key manufacturing industries.

In line with the government's "7 SEED" future growth engine strategy, the three regions will activate an industry-academia-research network in which local universities, research institutions and companies collaborate. They will provide one-stop support from technology identification through verification to commercialization, ensuring that R&D outcomes move beyond the laboratory and translate into new industries and youth employment opportunities for local businesses.

Project funding will be secured through a matching arrangement in which local governments contribute a set proportion alongside central government grants, in accordance with the competition guidelines. The three regions — Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province — will share the required local funding equally, meeting the minimum matching ratio specified in the competition requirements. The exact scale of central government support and each region's actual fiscal contribution will be finalized after the 2027 government budget proposal is drawn up and reviewed by the National Assembly.

The heads of the three regional governments issued a joint statement saying the selection was "a precious achievement made possible by Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province coming together as one supra-regional team, transcending administrative boundaries." They added that they would "fuse cutting-edge quantum technology with the southeast region's solid traditional manufacturing base to propel it into a global quantum hub representing the Republic of Korea."


ook967@heraldcorp.com