US, South Korea Sign Agreement to Cooperate on Quantum
Insider Summary
- The US and the Republic of Korea signed an agreement to pursue cooperation in quantum information science and technology (QIST) for the peace and prosperity of the citizens of the two countries.
- QIST is a critical and emerging technology that provides opportunities to enable broader scientific endeavors and to develop new applications to use QIST to explore major societal challenges.
- Collaboration between various stakeholders, including academia, government, and the private sector, is essential to broaden basic understanding and accelerate QIST implementation.
The United States and South Korea announced a new initiative to cooperate on quantum information science and technology (QIST) recently, building shared values and strong alliances to accelerate innovation in this critical and growing field.
In a joint statement, the two countries emphasized that the emergence of such technologies provides an opportunity to enable broader scientific endeavors and develop new applications to use QIST to explore major societal challenges, potentially including global health, climate change, and the efficient use of resources. .
The officials said in the statement that science and technology are the main drivers of innovation in society and the economy and that collaborative and transnational efforts in research and development are important for accelerating innovation, according to the statement. QIST enables the development of powerful computers, more secure communication networks, and more precise and accurate sensors by exploring new ways to acquire, transmit, and process information using quantum mechanics.
They saw several areas where cooperation was essential. For example, a skilled workforce and increased application awareness are critical to the advancement of QIST and the development of a quantum-enabled economy, and a wide range of efforts is needed to encourage broad and inclusive participation in QIST, including public awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, apprenticeships, quantum skills development programs and interdisciplinary and retraining programs.
The QIST ecosystem, which consists of stakeholders from various fields, including academia, government and the private sector, is global and interconnected. The exchange and integration of ideas, expertise and creativity is essential to broaden the basic understanding and accelerate the adoption of QIST.
Based on the Agreement Regarding Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Korea signed in Washington in 1999, the two countries intend to advance their shared vision of QIST through good faith cooperation supported by shared values.
Countries plan to facilitate interaction between government, academia, and the private sector to understand research trajectories in QIST and identify overlapping interests and opportunities for future scientific cooperation to accelerate the social benefits of this nascent field and remain responsive to it. which is not yet known. implication.
They also aim to promote joint research in QIST, including exchange of personnel and sharing of QIST-related methodologies and data on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers essential to expand this field. Cooperation based on this Joint Statement is subject to the provisions of the Science and Technology Agreement.
Democratization was also discussed in statements with countries that said they were committed to creating an inclusive scientific research community and addressing cross-cutting issues of common interest such as equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, so that everyone can participate fully and have a equality. chance to succeed.
The countries plan to create opportunities to build global markets and trusted supply chains for QIST research and development (R&D), and support economic growth by engaging the private sector and industry consortia.
