[Interview] "Quantum Security Technology Expands to Autonomous Vehicles, Medical, and IoT"

Eom Sang-yoon IDQ Korea Branch Manager
Holder of World's No.1 Quantum Security Core Technology
Flood of Cooperation Requests After Galaxy A Quantum Launch
Growing Interest in 'Security' Amid Anti-Huawei Trend
Significant Increase in Quantum Security Investments Worldwide

Eom Sang-yoon, Head of IDQ Korea Branch (Photo by SK Telecom)

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] "Our goal is to equip quantum security (QRNG) chips in all devices on Earth that require cybersecurity, such as autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things (IoT)."

On the 1st, Um Sang-yoon, head of the Korean branch of IDQ, the world's No.1 quantum security specialist company acquired by SK Telecom in 2018, stated in an interview with this publication, "We will develop technology that customers can use with peace of mind against increasingly sophisticated hacking attacks." He expressed the ambition to expand the application of quantum security, regarded as the "highest existing security technology that even supercomputers cannot break," beyond smartphones to IoT, autonomous vehicles, and more. Since the launch of the Galaxy A Quantum, requests for collaboration have been pouring in from various fields such as automotive, medical, IoT, and manufacturing. Although China is considered a leader in the quantum security sector, concerns over Huawei's security have made securing "ironclad security technology" an opportunity for South Korea instead.

◆ Growing Security Concerns Against Huawei = Recently, a personal information leak incident involving 1.5 terabytes (TB) of credit and debit card data, bank account numbers, and other information has heightened demands for security technology not only in smartphone devices but also in various applications. The spread of COVID-19 and the increase in non-face-to-face electronic transactions have also posed challenges. As security concerns have been cited at the core of the anti-Huawei movement that started in the U.S., countries worldwide are significantly increasing investments in quantum security. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to carriers that do not use Huawei equipment as "clean carriers," citing South Korea's SK Telecom and KT as examples. Um mentioned this case and defined quantum security as "a technology that cannot be broken even if an eavesdropper has unlimited computing power." He added, "Security threats in the quantum computing era are not fear marketing but real existing threats," and "Quantum security technology ensures that data with extended storage life is protected from any attack."

◆ Quantum Security Market to Reach 26.9 Trillion Won by 2025 = Currently, competition among countries to invest in quantum security technology is fierce. According to Market Research Media, the quantum security market size is expected to grow from 6.4 trillion won this year to approximately 26.9 trillion won by 2025. Um said, "Globally, China is the clear leader in the quantum security market," but added, "South Korea is also narrowing the gap through investments." This is also why IDQ has a branch in Bundang, Korea. Um stated, "Compared to Europe, Korea has a more developed semiconductor ecosystem, providing favorable conditions to secure excellent talent," and "Korea will play an important role as a logistics hub and R&D center in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region."

IDQ is a security company headquartered in Switzerland. Founded in 2001, it launched the world's first quantum random number generator (QRNG) in 2002 and announced the world's first quantum key distribution (QKD) service in 2006. After receiving investment from SK Telecom in 2018, it has accelerated business expansion. Following the establishment of quantum cryptography communication test networks across 14 segments in major European countries including Geneva, Switzerland; Berlin, Germany; Madrid, Spain; and Vienna, Austria, it also built the first quantum cryptography communication network in the U.S. on Wall Street, New York. This year, together with the promising company Vitri, it achieved the milestone of embedding its core technology in the smartphone device Galaxy A Quantum, known as the "ultimate security phone." Um said, "We will expand the applications and base so that more apps and more customers can use IDQ's security technology."