The Ministry of Science and ICT is calling for innovative and challenging research and development ideas related to national strategic technologies such as advanced bio, AI humanoids, and quantum technologies, 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 of this month to January 15th next year to discover challenging R&D ideas that can change the future of South Korea.
The ‘K-Moonshot Project’ is a project that boldly challenges R&D with clear missions to foster future strategic technologies and solve national challenges. An advisory group of top experts in various technology fields 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 collect ideas from researchers and the general public.
The themes of this contest include advanced bio, AI humanoids, quantum, space and aviation, semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries, materials and nano, and future energy, as well as innovative R&D ideas to solve national and social challenges. Applications are divided into general public and researcher categories. The general public category focuses on problem definition and ideas, allowing anyone to participate easily, while the researcher category allows for professional and detailed proposals.
Selected excellent ideas will be announced and awarded in March next year after professional evaluation. The grand prize (one for the general public and one for researchers) includes the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Award and a prize of 3 million won. The excellence prize (two for the general public and two for researchers) includes the President of the National Research Foundation Award and a prize of 1 million won.