South Korea's next big bet: Moon, quantum computers, brain implants

South Korea wants to reach the moon before it turns 90 as an independent state and build a domestic quantum computer, next-generation nuclear reactors and commercial brain implants along the way.

The government announced its "Seven Major SEED" strategy on Wednesday, setting out a decade-long roadmap meant to carry the economy beyond its reliance on semiconductors and AI.

South Korea's tech future plans

The announcement took place under the chairmanship of President Lee Jae Myung at a Blue House meeting, where it was stated that 2030 is the year for a moon landing. In the same plan, there is the development of an indigenous 100-qubit quantum computer by 2029, putting Seoul in competition with the US and China in computing.

The commercialisation of the indigenous small modular reactors and brain-computer interface products will take place in 2035.

Both these fields lie in the area of energy security and medical technology, which South Korea sees as strategically crucial and not just economically profitable.

Bae Kyung-Hoon, science minister who is also the deputy prime minister, stated that the seven pillars include small modular reactors, fusion energy, next-generation renewable energy, quantum technologies, space and aviation, advanced biotechnology, and critical minerals and materials.

Each of the seven pillars is expected to operate independently as an economic growth driver without being supplementary to existing semiconductors and AI sectors.

"We will help these seeds grow and build a South Korea that no one can rival in 10 or 20 years," Bae said.

Governments worldwide increasingly treat fields like quantum computing and critical minerals as matters of national security, not just industrial policy, and Seoul's plan reflects that shift.