Ministry of Industry Strengthens Advanced Technology Cooperation with Israel and Japan

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 13th that it strengthened its cooperation network by consecutively meeting with the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to discuss advanced technology cooperation measures between the two countries.

At the 'Korea-Israel Industrial Technology Research Foundation' board meeting held via video conference that day, Je Gyeong-hee, Director of Industrial Technology Convergence Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Alon Stoppel, Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, reviewed the AI, quantum cryptography communication, semiconductor, autonomous driving, and bio sector cooperation projects to be promoted this year and agreed to proceed without any setbacks.

The two countries established the cooperation foundation in 2001 and jointly fund a total of $8 million annually, promoting cooperation among industry, academia, and research institutes in both countries through joint research and development (R&D) support and technology seminar hosting. Currently, 16 joint R&D projects are underway. In 2025, about seven new joint R&D projects will be added.

Israel possesses a strong startup ecosystem and technical talent in advanced industries such as cybersecurity, AI, and semiconductors, and cooperation with Korea, which has a global manufacturing base, is expected to create synergy.

Prior to this, Director Je discussed government innovation policies, R&D investment directions, and private R&D investment support measures with Kiku-kawa Jingo, Director-General of the Innovation Environment Policy Bureau at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and exchanged opinions on technology cooperation with the soon-to-be-launched new government.

Both sides agreed on the necessity of cooperation in response to changes in the industrial technology environment and decided to expand industry-academia-research exchanges and joint research and explore additional cooperation areas in the future.