The South Korean government has finalized 12 national missions for its K-Moonshot project, which aims to dramatically boost research productivity in science and technology using artificial intelligence.
The government discussed the "K-Moonshot Progress Report" agenda at the 5th Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting on June 11. The K-Moonshot initiative is a nationwide project designed to address critical national missions and accelerate scientific innovation by integrating AI with science and technology. The project aims to double research productivity by 2030 and resolve 12 national missions across eight sectors—including advanced bio, materials, future energy, and physical AI—by 2035, by consolidating the nation's AI resources and research capabilities.
The 12 national missions include: increasing drug development speed by more than tenfold; commercializing brain implants; developing affordable ultra-high-efficiency multi-junction solar modules; developing a Korean fusion demonstration reactor; early realization of eco-friendly small modular reactor (SMR) vessels; humanoid robots; localizing general-purpose physical AI models and computing platforms; demonstrating space data centers; rare earth elements; developing world-class AI scientists; ultra-high-performance, low-power AI accelerators; and developing error-correcting quantum computers. The government plans to appoint project directors for each mission through ministry recommendations and internal discovery, complete mission roadmaps, and begin budget work including new R&D project planning for next year.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a business agreement ceremony with domestic AI and infrastructure companies and mission-sector firms at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, as the first implementation measure for K-Moonshot. To date, 161 companies have expressed their intention to collaborate on K-Moonshot, with 88 AI and infrastructure companies—specializing in AI models, computing, and data—forming the core of the "K-Moonshot Corporate Partnership." Mission-sector companies that have expressed interest in collaboration will cooperate through divisions organized under the "K-Moonshot Task Force," which will be established later, and will be linked with the K-Moonshot Corporate Partnership.
The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to fully operate the K-Moonshot Corporate Partnership following this agreement ceremony and continue expanding public-private cooperation for successful implementation of K-Moonshot. Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said, "Now is the golden time to consolidate national capabilities, as AI is fundamentally redesigning the very way we conduct scientific research, beyond simple technological advancement." He added, "We will pursue K-Moonshot toward an 'AI Apollo Era' with the same sense of mission as preparing a lunar lander heading into unknown space, so that Korea can leap forward as a nation that leads future technology rather than one that follows it."