Government Declares Goal to Lead Quantum Chip Manufacturing
Quantum Fabs Under Construction in Daejeon, Ulsan and Beyond
Open Facilities for Foundational Quantum Technology Research
"Competition Heats Up in 2nd-Gen Quantum Computing… The Real Battle Begins"
KAIST opened its National Quantum Fab Laboratory last December and held a groundbreaking ceremony for its quantum fab research building. The facility, with more than 45 billion won ($33 million) in total investment, is targeted for completion by 2027 and is set to begin full operations in 2028. It will be Korea's largest open-access quantum device fab dedicated to researching and establishing fabrication processes for quantum processing unit (QPU) chips. Separately, UNIST's Ulsan campus held the opening ceremony for its Quantum Nano-Fab on the 13th. Approximately 30 billion won has been invested in the facility, which provides a research base capable of performing the entire cycle — from quantum device design to fabrication, analysis, verification and demonstration — in a single location. According to science and technology sector sources, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) plans to pursue additional quantum manufacturing infrastructure centered on quantum fabs this year, not only in Daejeon and Ulsan but also in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Quantum fabs form the physical foundation of the government's strategy to become a "quantum chip manufacturing powerhouse." In January, the government released the First Comprehensive Plan for Quantum Science and Technology and Quantum Industry Promotion, setting the goal of becoming the world's No. 1 in quantum chip manufacturing by 2035. Quantum fabs are considered the core infrastructure for achieving this target, as it is difficult to secure leadership in the quantum industry without internalizing quantum materials, components, equipment and manufacturing capabilities beyond just research and development.
Quantum devices require an environment far more precise than conventional semiconductor devices. Even the slightest temperature fluctuations, vibrations, electromagnetic noise or dust-like losses can cause performance to deteriorate sharply. Moreover, quantum technology is at an early stage where multiple platforms — photonic, superconducting, neutral atom, ion trap and semiconductor spin — coexist, making it impossible to address them with a single standard process. This is why a single piece of equipment or a single production line cannot handle the task.
However, Korea has virtually no dedicated infrastructure to meet these requirements. Many researchers have conducted experiments by making limited use of existing semiconductor fabs, corporate fabs or overseas foundries, but this approach imposes constraints on available materials and process conditions, while outsourcing delays schedules and increases costs. "When using overseas foundries, there is a limitation that process technology and know-how that should be accumulated domestically can leak outside," said Cho Yong-hun, director of the KAIST National Quantum Fab Laboratory.
The solution to this structural problem is nationally led, open-access quantum process infrastructure. The quantum fab being developed by KAIST is not a facility for a specific laboratory or institution but is designed as public infrastructure to be shared by universities, government-funded research institutes, corporations and startups. Unlike conventional semiconductor-dedicated fabs where work is simply outsourced to specialists, the structure allows users to receive equipment training directly and participate in process development and experiments. "In the quantum field, neither the material groups nor the process methods have been established yet — it is still a research stage," Cho said. "This is a domain where everything from equipment training to R&D must be done hands-on." Given that the enormous cost and time required for emerging companies to build their own infrastructure, shared quantum fabs can serve as a foundation that lowers entry barriers for startups and helps existing industries expand into the quantum sector.
