The Ministry of Science and ICT on Jan. 6 said the country this year became the first Asian associate member of the Horizon Europe research program. Shown is Minister Yoo Sang-Im on Jan. 2 speaking at the ministry's New Year's ceremony at Government Complex-Sejong. (Ministry of Science and ICT)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

The country is the first Asian associate member of the Horizon Europe research program.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Union (EU) on Jan. 6 said Korea joined on Jan. 1 and enjoys equal status as an EU member state in the program.

Launched in 2021 with EU support of EUR 95.5 billion (KRW 140 trillion), Horizon Europe is the world's largest multilateral research and innovation program and runs for seven years through 2027.

Korea is also the third non-European member along with New Zealand, which joined in 2023, and Canada (2024).

Korea is part of the program's Pillar II, focusing on joint studies on shared global challenges and reinforcement of industrial competitiveness, allowing participation in projects this year as an associate member for research.

So on equal terms with their EU counterparts, domestic researchers can join Horizon Europe projects as coordinating and supervisory participating institutions.

Without the need for a separate domestic screening process, Korean researchers can receive research funding from Horizon Europe just through the program's project evaluation process and participate in the program committee as observers.

Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-Im said, "Our entry as an associate member of Horizon Europe offers an important opportunity to boost our country's research cooperation with Europe, a leader in advanced science and technology, and diversify our partners in cooperation and methods."

aisylu@korea.kr