Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung-ryul) held a “Quantum Campus Proclamation Ceremony” on Wednesday, July 9, at the Academic Conference Hall on the first floor of the Main Building. This event was planned to present Kookmin University's future vision of becoming a quantum technology hub through cooperation between the government, industry, and academia by establishing a quantum campus to become the first university in Korea to leap forward as a future hub in the field of quantum technology.

Quantum technology is a next-generation core technology with the potential to revolutionize various fields such as new drug development, biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and information security. It holds the promise of rapidly solving problems that are time-consuming or difficult to resolve using traditional computing methods, thereby attracting attention as a new paradigm across the entire spectrum of science and technology.

Through this declaration ceremony, Kookmin University announced the launch of a platform campus that connects research, education, and commercialization of quantum technology in Korea, based on its advanced capabilities in specialized fields such as information security, artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation communications, and future automobiles. Notably, the event was attended by global quantum technology company representatives, as well as government and National Assembly officials, including Choi Min-hee, Chair of the Science, Technology, Information, and Broadcasting Committee (Democratic Party, Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province), and Min Hyung-bae, Member of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee (Democratic Party, Gwangju City, Gwangju Province), who delivered congratulatory speeches and discussed the establishment of a domestic quantum technology ecosystem. Additionally, leading domestic and international quantum-related companies such as IBM, IQM, AWS, and Orientum participated in the event to share their visions for collaboration.

Professor Park Joon-seok of the Department of Electronic Engineering, who serves as the director of the Next-Generation Communications Project at Kookmin University, declared the slogan “Quantum-Ready University” for the university's quantum campus and presented its vision. Professor Park presented the core directions for Kookmin University's quantum campus as ▲establishing quantum technology-based educational infrastructure, ▲establishing a quantum convergence education system, and ▲introducing quantum-based supercomputing infrastructure.

The quantum technology-based infrastructure is expected to be built by combining supercomputing infrastructure with basic technologies such as quantum mechanics, quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum security, and quantum sensors. Supercomputing has the advantage of reducing learning time and energy consumption by enabling complex distributed learning through high-speed computation based on advanced mathematics.

This is considered to have the potential to change the AI-based learning paradigm itself in the mid- to long-term, and Kookmin University is focusing on this point by collaborating with IBM and AWS to operate a cloud-based quantum computing training platform with the goal of producing more than 1,000 trainees annually. In addition, it will take the lead in supporting large-scale research in new drug development, logistics optimization, and AI learning by introducing a quantum supercomputing infrastructure combining QPU and GPU for the first time in a domestic university.

Based on this mid- to long-term infrastructure development, the university plans to establish a “Quantum Convergence Department” that combines quantum technology with existing competitive majors such as AI, semiconductors, bio, management, and design. The major will be subdivided into ▲Quantum Systems ▲Quantum Security ▲Design Convergence ▲Bio Convergence ▲Management Convergence ▲AI & Content Convergence, and students will receive practical education directly linked to future industries, such as quantum UX design, quantum bio simulation, quantum financial modeling, and quantum AI content.

Professor Park highlighted the following as the key competencies of Kookmin University's quantum talent: ▲Quantum mechanical thinking that understands and accepts uncertainty and probability ▲Duality-based convergence capabilities that integrate humanities, science, and engineering ▲Hyper-location learning agility that enables learning by moving flexibly between various locations, similar to the quantum state of being in multiple places at once ▲leadership that actively changes situations through interaction with others as the ideal qualities of quantum talent at Kookmin University. He emphasized that “to ensure that quantum technology becomes universally adopted internationally and maintains sustainable competitiveness, cultivating talent suited to this field is essential,” and declared, “Kookmin University will lead this transformation.”

Following this, Professor Lee Ok-yeon from the Department of Information Security and Cryptography demonstrated Kookmin University's quantum security technology. Kookmin University has completed the development of core foundational technologies that integrate its proprietary quantum security-based patents and quantum sensor-based quantum security service commercialization technologies, and has successfully commercialized multiple applications. Professor Lee Ok-yeon evaluated, “Through this research and development, Kookmin University has become the only institution in the world to possess all three major quantum security technologies—quantum cryptography modules (including QRNG), quantum cryptography communication equipment (including QKD), and quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC, Post Quantum Cryptography)—and has established itself as a research institution that has built a quantum campus through the commercialization of these technologies.”

In addition, ▲Pyo Chang-hee (IBM Quantum Senior Manager) presented on “Current Technology and Future Outlook for Quantum Computers over the Next Five Years,” ▲Bang Seung-hyun (President of the Korean Quantum Industry Association and CEO of Orientum) discussed “The Current State of the Global Quantum Ecosystem and Industry Trends,” ▲Kristine Rezai (IQM Ambassador) “Finland's Quantum Cluster and IQM's Vision” ▲Cho Sang-man (AWS HPC & Quantum Computing Solutions Architect)

President Jeong Seung-ryul of Kookmin University said, “Quantum technology is not just advanced research, but a key area that will determine national competitiveness in the future. With this declaration ceremony, Kookmin University will become a global quantum campus by establishing a convergence ecosystem based on quantum technology through collaboration with the government, academia, local communities, and industry.”

A representative from Kookmin University stated, “We have a mid- to long-term plan to complete a platform equipped with quantum computing demonstration infrastructure alongside security technology and expand it domestically and internationally.” They added, “We will progressively realize this through the establishment of specialized quantum-related education programs, global industry-academia projects, and the expansion of demonstration research spaces within the campus.”