South Korea, France Collaborate to Lead Quantum Computing - 조선일보

By Choi Won-wooPublished 2026.09.23. 00:32Nicolo Somaski, Founder and CEO of Kwandella, poses at the Kwandella research facility. /Courtesy of KwandellaOn September 8 (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. Nicolo Somaschi, 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.Somaschi stated in a video interview with this newspaper on the 21st, “Quantum computing is the most promising field where countries outside the U.S. can unite to secure technological leadership,” adding, “President Macron views South Korea as the first partner.”Quandela was founded in 2017. It designs and manufactures quantum computers using quantum superposition and entanglement phenomena, while also developing the software and algorithms that operate them. Like Apple, which produces both iPhones and the iOS operating system, Quandela integrates hardware and software under one roof. The company has secured 65 million euros (approximately 100 billion Korean won) in investments to date.Somaschi emphasized, “South Korea and France can become leaders in quantum computing if they join forces.” He explained, “France has technological expertise but lacks large-scale industrialization capabilities. Meanwhile, South Korea excels in industrial capacity but lags in quantum technology. By combining both strengths, we can aim not just to compete but to lead globally.”He named Samsung Electronics for semiconductors, LG Innotek for optoelectronic components, and Naver for cloud services as potential Korean partners. He also mentioned domestic quantum software company Qunova Computing as a key collaborator to bridge quantum computers with real-world industrial demands. The vision is to build a comprehensive quantum ecosystem in South Korea, spanning component production, computer assembly, cloud services, and applications in pharmaceuticals, finance, and logistics.Collaboration with South Korea has already begun. Last year, Quandela signed an 57 million dollars (approximately 80 billion Korean won) investment agreement with Seoul. In April, it also formed partnerships 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 research and manufacturing of photonic quantum computers.Quandela’s core competitiveness lies in its photonic quantum computing technology, which utilizes photons—particles of light. The company generates individual photons via lasers and directs them through microscopic channels on a chip, creating quantum superposition states for computation.Somaschi noted, “Light is the fastest entity in the universe, and harnessing it enables faster calculations.” He added, “Regardless of how future quantum computers evolve, photonic technology will play a critical role in efficiently connecting multiple processors.”He compared the current state of quantum computing to AI a decade before ChatGPT’s emergence. “If we had known in 2010 that ChatGPT would arrive in 10 years, what would we have done differently? If we don’t accelerate now to become first-movers, we’ll end up as latecomers scrambling to catch up.”· This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.