KISTI secures funding for National Quantum Center of Excellence

Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) has secured a multi-million dollar government award through the “Quantum Computing Service and Utilization System Construction Project.” This initiative marks a major step toward establishing South Korea’s first National Quantum Computing Center of Excellence.

KISTI, which will lead the development and operation of a quantum computing service and research platform designed to support both academic and enterprise applications, has identified IonQ — a US-based commercial quantum computing and networking company —  as the primary quantum technology provider for the project, alongside South Korean cloud service and infrastructure provider Megazone Cloud, according to a media release.

Under an expected contract to be concluded with KISTI, IonQ expects to deliver an advanced 100-qubit quantum system for the initiative, to enable leading edge research and industrially relevant quantum computing capabilities. Together, IonQ and KISTI intend to develop a hybrid quantum-classical execution environment, integrating next-generation quantum systems into a private cloud for remote access, IonQ said in the media release.

“As part of the project, KISTI will host Tempo, IonQ’s next-generation trapped-ion quantum computer with 100 qubits,” KISTI said in a post on LinkedIn. “Built on barium ions, Tempo offers high fidelity, long coherence times, and all-to-all qubit connectivity — enabling broader real-world applications.”

“We will be honored to support KISTI’s pioneering efforts to establish a world-leading quantum service infrastructure in Korea,” said Niccolo de Masi, CEO of IonQ. “This project is a significant investment in Korea’s research and innovation ecosystem, and we are proud to have been identified by KISTI to provide the technology and expertise to help realize its full potential.”

“Thanks to the partnership with IonQ, we expect to accumulate experience in the operation, service, and utilization of quantum platforms nationwide,” said Dr. Sik Lee, KISTI President. “We will also strive to contribute to the development of quantum computer utilization research and the industrial ecosystem in Korea.”

This announcement builds on IonQ and KISTI’s ongoing collaboration, including a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly advance South Korea’s leadership in the global quantum economy, the media release said.