South Korea’s journey with Eureka

South Korea’s participation in Eureka reflects a long-standing ambition to invigorate its research and development ecosystem and gain experience in global innovation.

The cooperation began in 2005, when Eureka invited South Korea to join its network as an observer. By 2007, South Korea had funded its first Eureka project, and in 2009, it became the first Asian country to formally associate to the Eureka network. This engagement was further strengthened with the impending European Union-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, as the country sought to enhance its research and development cooperation and catalyse trade. Following years of active involvement in Eureka, South Korea was elevated to a full member country in 2022.

Eureka is a global leading network in collaborative R&D, facilitating cooperation between companies in cutting-edge technological sectors such as AI, quantum technologies, robotics and aviation, as well as global challenges. South Korea regards Eureka as its first partner in tackling these challenges and wish it boundless development and further expansion.

Kyeong Hee JE – Director General of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) and Eureka High-Level Representative

South Korea’s entry into Eureka came during the global financial crisis, a time when markets around the world were in turmoil. As private investment in research and development declined, and company growth slowed significantly, South Korean policymakers recognised the importance of supporting mechanisms that promote international collaboration and research and development investment.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (now the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources) and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) led the country’s accession process. Early on, South Korea established bilateral call for projects agreements with France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Through Eureka’s programmes, 1,915 South Korean organisations have participated in 248 projects, mobilising 70 million euro in private investment. This activity has resulted in 100 million euro generated from companies commercialising developed products, processes or services; the creation of 614 jobs; the acquisition of 809 patents; and the publication of 215 academic papers.

Through Eureka’s flexible and collaborative framework, South Korea has responded to global challenges, including climate change and security, and supported state-of-the-art technologies, including AI, quantum computing, lightweighting, energy, circular value creation, semiconductors and biotechnology. Resulting notable research and development advancements have contributed to an increase in organisations participating in Eureka projects and growing domestic support for continued involvement in Eureka.

South Korea has organised Korea Eureka Day, an annual event on Eureka opportunities, since 2009.

Today, South Korea is transitioning from a rapid follower to a leader in cutting-edge research and development of semiconductors, batteries, displays and ICT. It views Eureka as a vital global platform for enhancing market-oriented international research and development cooperation in these fields. Biotechnology is a particular area of focus: as the world’s third-largest producer of biosimilars, South Korea sees opportunities to advance alongside Europe in this sector through Eureka.

In addition, Eureka has proven instrumental in facilitating overseas investment and technology outsourcing by South Korean companies. It has helped enterprises integrate naturally into global innovation networks, engage with leading innovators with strong technological capabilities and enter international markets. South Korea continues to leverage Eureka’s features to maximise its return on investing in trailblazing projects.

South Korea also actively promotes Eureka’s distinctive characteristics of openness and flexibility, playing a pivotal role in expanding the network by fostering connections with countries outside Europe.

Thanks to Eureka, South Korea has expanded its international technology cooperation network. It remains committed to supporting Eureka’s development and the globalisation of local companies with high potential.