Incheon, Gangwon, and North Chungcheong Launch "K-Quantum Bio Alliance"

Challenge to Attract National Quantum Cluster

On May 21, the city of Incheon held a launch ceremony for the "K-Quantum Bio Alliance" at Yonsei University's Songdo International Campus, together with Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and North Chungcheong Province.

The K-Quantum Bio Alliance is a pan-regional cooperation model involving local governments, universities, companies, and hospitals. Its goal is to develop the bio belt connecting Incheon, Gangwon, and North Chungcheong into a key hub for national quantum industrialization, thereby creating a "Global Quantum·Bio Mega Cluster" that will drive South Korea’s next century of progress.

The launch event was attended by over 130 people, including Ha Byungpil, Incheon Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs; Kim Gwangrae, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of Gangwon; Lee Bokwon, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of North Chungcheong; as well as figures from business and academia. During the ceremony, a business agreement was signed between the three local governments and innovation agencies, as well as a business agreement among 14 universities. In addition, 136 companies, hospitals, and related organizations submitted Letters of Intent (LOI) to participate.

This collaboration is particularly significant as it marks the first time that the three regions—Incheon, Gangwon, and North Chungcheong, each with strengths in the bio industry—are operating a "pan-regional bio full-cycle value chain" in South Korea.

Quantum computer

The three local governments and participating institutions plan to connect tangible quantum resources, such as Incheon's "IBM 127-qubit (QB) Quantum Computer" and North Chungcheong’s "IQM 5-qubit Quantum Computer," and combine them with Gangwon’s medical demonstration infrastructure. Through this, they aim to establish a "bio full-cycle cooperation system" that spans from basic research to clinical trials and demonstration, regulatory approval, and final production and commercialization.

They also plan to jointly apply for designation as a quantum cluster, for which the Ministry of Science and ICT concluded its call for applications on May 18.

Ha Byungpil, Incheon Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs, stated, "Quantum technology has now moved beyond the laboratory stage and is entering full industrialization. It is important to build a complete ecosystem encompassing every process from research and development to commercialization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.