Korea-France Quantum Alliance Targets Global Leadership - 조선일보

By Choi Won-wooPublished 2026.09.22. 18:00Nicolò Somaschini, Qanadla founder and CEO, poses at the Qanadla research facility. /QanadlaOn the 8th (local time), leaders of flagship companies from South Korea and France gathered at the Élysée Palace in Paris for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron.

From South Korea, representatives from Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and Naver attended, while France sent executives from BNP Paribas, L’Oréal, and Mistral AI.Nicolo Somaski, co-founder and CEO of French quantum computing company Quandela, was also present. Quantum computing is recognized as one of the “three key technologies” that will reshape humanity’s future, alongside AI and nuclear fusion energy. Somaski is considered one of the leaders who will drive cooperation between the two countries in this field. In a video interview with this newspaper on the 21st, he said, “Quantum computing is the most promising area where countries outside the U.S. can unite to secure technological leadership.” He added, “President Macron views South Korea as the first partner.”◇“Korea’s Manufacturing, France’s Technological Strength”Quandela was founded in 2017. It designs and manufactures quantum computers using “quantum superposition” and “quantum entanglement,” two of the most mysterious phenomena in quantum mechanics, and develops the software and algorithms that operate them. Like Apple, which creates both iPhones and iOS, Quandela produces both hardware and software. The company has attracted 65 million euros (approximately 100 billion Korean won) in investment to date.Nicolò Somaschini, Qanadla founder and CEO (from left), Valérian Giesz, and Pascal Senneler, co-founders, take a photo in the research lab. /QanadlaSomaski stated, “South Korea and France can become leaders in quantum computing if they join forces.” “To lead this field, you need capital, technology, and manufacturing capabilities. France has technological expertise but lacks large-scale industrialization capacity. Meanwhile, South Korea excels in industrial capabilities but lags in quantum technology. Combining both could allow us to aim for global leadership, not just compete.”He named Samsung Electronics for semiconductors, LG Innotek for optoelectronic components, and Naver for cloud services as potential partners. He also mentioned domestic quantum software company Qunova Computing as a partner to connect quantum computers with industrial demand. The vision is to build a complete quantum ecosystem in South Korea, from component production and computer assembly to cloud services and applications in pharmaceuticals, finance, and logistics.Cooperation with South Korea has already begun. Last year, Quandela signed a 57 million dollar (approximately 80 billion Korean won) investment agreement with Seoul Metropolitan Government. In April, as part of Macron’s economic delegation, Somaski visited South Korea and signed agreements with KAIST, the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Seoul National University’s Semiconductor Joint Research Institute. The goal is to leverage South Korea’s semiconductor infrastructure to advance quantum computing research and manufacturing. He said, “I will return to South Korea on the 28th to expand Korea-France quantum cooperation and find domestic partners.”◇“Expectations for New Drug and Next-Generation Battery Material Discovery”Quandela’s core competitiveness lies in its quantum computing technology using photons, particles of light. Companies like IBM and Google use superconducting qubits, requiring chips to be cooled near absolute zero to maintain quantum superposition. In contrast, Quandela generates individual photons with lasers, sends them through microscopic channels in a chip, and uses their quantum superposition for calculations.He explained, “Light is the fastest entity in the universe, and utilizing it enables faster computations.” He added, “Regardless of how future quantum computers evolve, photon technology will play a critical role in efficiently connecting multiple processors.” Somaski claimed, “While competitors build quantum computers with 1980s transistor technology, we are using 2020s methods, giving us a technological edge.”He compared the current state of quantum computing to AI a decade before ChatGPT’s emergence. “If we knew in 2010 that ChatGPT would launch in 10 years, what would we have done?” he asked. “If we don’t accelerate now to aim for first place, we’ll become latecomers scrambling to catch up.”Qanadla researchers take a photo in front of MOSAIQ, the quantum computer they developed. /QanadlaHe identified “molecular simulation” for discovering new drugs and next-generation battery materials as a potential “quantum version of ChatGPT.” Since molecules follow quantum mechanical laws, quantum computers could excel in this area. “Within the next 2–3 years, quantum computing capabilities applicable to molecular calculations will begin to emerge,” he said. “However, unforeseen applications or combinations with AI might also arise.”Regarding skepticism that quantum computers remain a distant future, he responded, “Fundamental scientific questions have been answered; only the engineering phase of building machines remains. Once humanity knows where to go, it has always solved such problems.”· This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.