The Ministry of Science and ICT is calling for innovative and challenging R&D ideas related to national strategic technologies such as advanced bio, AI humanoids, and quantum technology, as well as solutions to national and social challenges. The ministry announced on the 15th that it will hold the ‘K-Moonshot Project National Contest’ from the 16th to January 15th next year to discover challenging R&D ideas that can change the future of Korea.
The term ‘Moonshot’ originates from NASA’s Apollo project in 1969, which aimed to land a spacecraft on the moon, symbolizing innovative and challenging goals. The K-Moonshot Project, promoted as a national agenda by the new government, aims to foster future strategic technologies and solve national challenges by setting clear missions and boldly challenging R&D.
An advisory group of top experts in each technology field is being formed to plan related projects such as AI-based drug development, clean energy, household and care humanoids, rare earth reduction technology, and next-generation memory semiconductors. Along with expert planning, the national contest will widely gather ideas from researchers and the general public.
The contest topics include advanced bio, AI humanoids, quantum, space and aviation, semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries, materials and nano, and future energy, focusing on innovative R&D ideas to solve national and social challenges. The contest is divided into categories for the general public and researchers. The grand prize includes the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Award and a prize of 3 million won, while the excellence prize includes the President of the National Research Foundation Award and a prize of 1 million won.