South Korea will join Horizon Europe in 2025, becoming the latest country from outside the European Union to associate to the research and innovation framework programme, after New Zealand, the UK and Canada.

Lee Jong-Ho, Korean minister for science and ICT, and Iliana Ivanova, European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, concluded negotiations on 25 March, the European Commission announced in a press release. South Korea will participate in Pillar II of Horizon Europe, which focuses on “shared global challenges” including “climate, energy, digital economy, and health”.

Expected to sign the association agreement later this year, Korea will become an associated country in 2025, enabling Korean researchers and institutions to receive Horizon Europe funding.

Korea first submitted a letter of intent expressing interest in associating to the funding programme in February 2022, during a Seoul meeting of the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee.

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“Participating as an associated country in Horizon Europe, the world’s largest multilateral research and innovation program, will open up greater opportunities for both Korea and the EU to enhance research competitiveness through joint research,” Dr Lee said in a statement.

“I am happy to welcome Korea into the Horizon family,” Ms Ivanova said. “This is a milestone for our cooperation and great news for global science and innovation. Together, we will be able to tackle global challenges more effectively.”

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The Korean Science Ministry set out “four key benefits” of the country’s association to Horizon Europe in a press release. “Korea’s multilateral science and technology research cooperation network will be significantly expanded,” the ministry said, while “research cooperation with EU countries and researchers in EU will be further strengthened”.

Participation in the framework programme “will enable Korea to gain insight into the EU’s advanced R&D planning, selection, and evaluation system”, the statement continued, while offering “an opportunity to expand the openness of Korea’s national innovation system”.

Switzerland could soon follow in Korea’s footsteps: earlier this month, the European Commission announced the start of negotiations concerning Switzerland’s relationship with the EU, with association to Horizon Europe among the goals.

Researchers based in Switzerland will be able to participate in 2024 European Research Council calls as negotiations continue, the commission said.

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emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com