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Korea, US set to deepen tech alliance with new MOU
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 29. Yonhap
By Park Ung
GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — Korea and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for technological cooperation on Wednesday, on the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events in Gyeongju.
The memorandum followed a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, who arrived in Korea earlier Wednesday. It reflects shared efforts to align policies on technology and research as global competition intensifies.
“The two countries signed the MOU to reinforce cooperation in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and synthetic biology, as their strategic importance grows,” the Ministry of Science and ICT said.
The agreement commits the two sides to accelerating AI development and innovation and strengthening trusted leadership in emerging technologies, and was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon of the Ministry of Science and ICT and Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Under the agreement, the U.S. and Korea will jointly develop an AI policy framework and build a shared AI ecosystem across Asia, including cooperation on full-stack AI technology exports. They will also coordinate on the responsible export of trusted AI systems, development of appropriate datasets and promotion of safe AI innovation.
To build trusted technological leadership, cooperation will be expanded in core emerging sectors, including next-generation communications, biopharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chains, quantum technology and space exploration.
They will also jointly pursue research and development on sixth-generation networks and expand participation in major basic science projects.
In space cooperation, the agreement includes promoting partnership on NASA’s Artemis program, a U.S.-led initiative to return humans to the moon, enhancing cooperation on Korea’s satellite navigation system, and building partnerships for the development and operation of commercial space stations in low Earth orbit.
They also agreed to strengthen their science and technology partnership by emphasizing research security and promoting basic research and personnel exchanges.
The two countries will participate in discussions under U.S. First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future Together initiative, which focuses on digital-age education and nurturing the next generation of workers.
The Joint Committee Meeting on Scientific and Technical Cooperation will convene in Washington, D.C., next year to develop more detailed cooperation measures. In the meantime, Presidential Secretary for AI Ha Jung-woo and Kratsios held bilateral talks on Wednesday to discuss implementation plans.
“This MOU will help both countries strengthen technological sovereignty through people-centered, inclusive AI and private sector-driven innovation,” Ha said. “Cooperation in AI research and development and full-stack technology exports will serve as a springboard for Korea to become a leading AI nation.”
Kratsios said the agreement marks a meaningful advance in bilateral science and technology cooperation and reflects U.S. recognition of Korea as a trusted partner in developing AI ecosystems and other strategic technologies.
The deputy prime minister said the partnership will continue to be strengthened through science and technology, grounded in freedom and shared prosperity.
“With this MOU, our governments are committing to technology-driven shared prosperity,” Bae said. “Following recent agreements with BlackRock and OpenAI to build an AI ecosystem, we expect scientific exchange and investment to expand further.”