Ministry of Science and ICT

What Ministry of Science and ICT does

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, 과학기술정보통신부) is a cabinet-level ministry of the Government of South Korea, headquartered at Government Complex-Sejong, 477 Galmae-ro, Sejong-si. Established in its current form in 2017 through government reorganization, MSIT is the primary state body responsible for national science, technology, information and communications, and AI policy, coordinating with subordinate agencies including ETRI, KISA, and KIST, and interfacing with the Korea Communications Commission on broadcasting and telecommunications matters. The ministry is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon and reports to the Executive Office of the President and Cabinet. As a sovereign entity, MSIT operates without commercial revenue and is financed entirely through annual national budget allocations.

MSIT implements and funds national technology programs spanning semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, hydrogen, cybersecurity, and advanced materials. Signature initiatives include the K-Nvidia AI Chip Fund (KRW 50 trillion / $33.3 billion) targeting domestic Neural Processing Unit development with five designated fabless players (Rebellions, FuriosaAI, HyperAccel, DeepX, Mobilint); the K-Moonshot AI Humanoid program (KRW 50.4 billion through 2030 with LG Electronics and WIRobotics); the AI-NEXT pilot (KRW 3.17 billion); the POSTECH Quantum Global Partnership Lead Center (KRW 22.3 billion through 2029); the Hydrogen Technology R&D program (KRW 42.7 billion in 2026, a 50.2% year-on-year increase); the AI Materials R&D Platform Strategy; and 10 AI Innovation Graduate Schools expanding to 22 by 2030 (KRW 15 billion in 2026). The ministry has secured 260,000 GPUs for AI infrastructure, tripled the national AI budget to 9.9 trillion won, and in January 2026 enacted the AI Basic Act (인공지능기본법), described as the world's first comprehensive AI regulatory framework.

MSIT's international positioning is anchored by MOUs with Anthropic (June 2026, including Anthropic's Seoul office and widespread Claude deployments across Korean enterprise), Google DeepMind (April 2026, scientific AI research and talent development), and NVIDIA (June 2026, GPU delivery and Vera Rubin AI factories), together with quantum partnerships with Harvard University and Singapore's Centre for Quantum Technologies. The ministry also operates the Agentic AI Alliance with NC AI, LG AI Research, and Kakao, supports an Indigenous AI Foundation Model program involving Motif Technologies and Upstage, runs the National AI Competition (reaching 1 million participants within three months), and administers a KRW 12 billion ($8.3 million) 2026 New Information Security Technology Support Program distributed to 50 companies. Korea is ranked third globally in AI by Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI and Artificial Analysis, with eight notable AI models recognized.

Name

Ministry of Science and ICT

Legal name

Ministry of Science and ICT

Website

https://msit.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) is a cabinet-level government ministry that formulates and funds national science, technology, ICT, and AI policy, administering multibillion-won programs across semiconductors, quantum computing, AI infrastructure, and cybersecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Science and Technology Policy

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888), International Affairs (9721), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL), Public Communications, Transparency & Open Government (BPAIAAAH), EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research (EDADADAK)

Keywords

• National science policy
• ICT regulatory framework
• AI strategy coordination
• R&D funding programs
• Technology ministry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sejung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Science and ICT is the Government of South Korea's central ministry for science, technology, and information and communications policy. It develops and implements national technology strategy, enacts regulatory frameworks such as the AI Basic Act, allocates R&D funding through programs like the K-Nvidia National Growth Fund, coordinates international partnerships with global technology leaders, and oversees subordinate research institutes (ETRI, KISA, KIST). It does not sell commercial products or services but delivers policy outcomes, funding allocations, and regulatory frameworks to Korean industry, research institutions, and citizens.

Product overview

The Ministry of Science and ICT (과학기술정보통신부, MSIT) is a government ministry of South Korea responsible for national science and ICT policy, digital transformation, and technology innovation. As a government ministry rather than a commercial entity, it does not offer commercial products or services for sale. Instead, MSIT implements and funds various national programs, initiatives, and R&D projects including the K-Moonshot initiative, AI Data Center industry promotion, national AI foundation model development, quantum technology research, humanoid robot development, semiconductor advancement programs, and cybersecurity frameworks. The Ministry coordinates with international partners and technology companies for AI safety research, operates programs supporting domestic AI startups and companies, and enacts legislation such as the AI Basic Act.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked as 'clear #3 nation in AI' globally by Artificial Analysis and Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AnthropiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Anthropic opened an office in Seoul and signed an MOU with South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT focused on AI safety and cybersecurity cooperation. Anthropic announced widespread adoption of its Claude AI across South Korean enterprises including NAVER, Nexon, LG CNS, Hanwha Solutions, and Samsung SDS. The expansion positions South Korea as a key hub for Anthropic's AI research, enterprise deployment, and safety evaluation work.
• NAVERminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026NAVER was announced as one of the major Korean enterprises deploying Claude AI through Anthropic's partnership with MSIT, along with Nexon, LG CNS, Hanwha Solutions, and Samsung SDS.
• NexonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Nexon was announced as one of the major Korean enterprises deploying Claude AI through Anthropic's partnership with MSIT.
• LG CNSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026LG CNS was announced as one of the major Korean enterprises deploying Claude AI through Anthropic's partnership with MSIT.
• Hanwha SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Hanwha Solutions was announced as one of the major Korean enterprises deploying Claude AI through Anthropic's partnership with MSIT.
• Samsung SDSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Samsung SDS was announced as one of the major Korean enterprises deploying Claude AI through Anthropic's partnership with MSIT.
• POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Ministry of Science and ICT opened the 'POSTECH Quantum Global Partnership Lead Center' at POSTECH on June 9, establishing an international joint research hub for quantum technology. The center is partnered with Harvard University and Singapore Centre for Quantum Technologies to develop technologies for generating and controlling large-scale quantum entanglement across heterogeneous quantum platforms.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Harvard University partnered with POSTECH and Singapore's CQT through the Quantum Global Partnership Leading Center to develop large-scale quantum entanglement technology for next-generation quantum computing and communication. The center combines Korea's semiconductor and optical communication expertise with international quantum research capabilities.
• Singapore Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026CQT partnered with POSTECH and Harvard through the Quantum Global Partnership Leading Center to develop large-scale quantum entanglement technology for next-generation quantum computing and communication, linking heterogeneous quantum platforms including superconducting qubits, photonic quantum computers, and ultracold gas systems.
• NVIDIAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Korea's ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to discuss expanding cooperation on AI infrastructure, including the planned delivery of 260,000 Nvidia GPUs and the introduction of Vera Rubin-based AI factories in Korea by year-end. Discussions also covered linking Nvidia's full-stack physical AI technologies with Korea's industrial and academic ecosystem and the possible early establishment of an Nvidia R&D center in Korea.
• Mokam Life Science InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Mokam Life Science Institute, a nonprofit research foundation under GC Biopharma, was selected as a participating research institution for Korea's national R&D project to build an end-to-end multi-agent AI platform for drug discovery. The project, led by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea, aims to develop AI agents based on large language models for autonomous decision-making across the drug discovery process.
• Google DeepMindcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT signed an MOU with Google DeepMind to cooperate on scientific AI research, AI talent development, and responsible AI use, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the AlphaGo match. Under the agreement, joint research across life sciences, meteorology, climate, and AI science will be conducted, with researcher exchanges through the National Science AI Research Center.
• Agentic AI AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Ministry of Science and ICT launched the Agentic AI Alliance on April 1, a public-private partnership with technology firms NC AI, LG AI Research, and Kakao Corp., along with Soongsil University AI Safety Center, to advance agentic AI systems capable of autonomous goal-setting and execution.
• AI SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026AI Singapore partnered with Korea's IITP through a $34 million five-year joint research program as part of the $300 million offshore fund-of-funds established in Singapore.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI): Japan's central ministry responsible for industrial policy, science and technology, and AI/digital strategy; the closest structural peer to MSIT as a national S&T and ICT ministry in an East Asian advanced economy.
• Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (National Science and Technology Council): Taiwan's central science and technology ministry, particularly active in semiconductor and AI policy; direct comparable to MSIT in scope and East Asian regional context.
• UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: UK's central department for science, AI, and digital infrastructure policy; a direct peer in coordinating national AI strategy, R&D funding, and frontier-tech partnerships.
• Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China: China's central ministry for science and technology policy, R&D funding, and AI strategy; comparable mandate to MSIT across national R&D coordination, technology standards, and international S&T cooperation.
• India Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY): India's central ministry for electronics, IT, and digital infrastructure policy; comparable to MSIT in coordinating national digital policy, semiconductor programs, and technology R&D funding.
• Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information: Singapore's central ministry overseeing communications, information, and digital economy policy; comparable to MSIT in driving national AI strategy and digital transformation initiatives.
• Germany Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR): Germany's federal ministry for research and technology policy, including AI and digital infrastructure; structurally analogous to MSIT in coordinating R&D budgets, technology frameworks, and international science partnerships.

Others

• Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST): Japanese government R&D funding agency that executes competitive research grants and international partnerships under METI/MEXT; an adjacent implementing agency rather than a ministry, but comparable in R&D allocation role to MSIT's subordinate agencies (KIST, ETRI, IITP).

Broad incumbents

• US Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): The White House office coordinating US federal science and technology policy across agencies; comparable to MSIT's cross-ministerial coordination role, though OSTP operates as a smaller executive office rather than a full ministry.

Emerging players

• OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI): OECD's directorate producing comparative science, technology, and innovation policy analysis across member states; overlapping with MSIT's mandate to set international benchmarks (Stanford AI Index rankings, OECD AI Principles).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/withmsit
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjeajitvt5U76154ynrVzAA
• Facebookfacebook.com/withmsit
• Instagraminstagram.com/withmsit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Science and ICT