Maryland is expanding its ties with South Korea into the quantum technology sector after Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and officials from Gyeongsangbuk-do signed an agreement aimed at connecting the two regions’ research, manufacturing and technology capabilities.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Miller and Gyeongsangbuk-do Vice Governor Geum-hee Yang during the 2026 Quantum World Congress at the University of Maryland in College Park.
The agreement creates a framework for Maryland and Gyeongsangbuk-do to work together on quantum research, emerging technologies, infrastructure and economic development. It also calls for exchanges involving students and professionals and greater collaboration among universities, research institutions and companies.
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A key part of the partnership will be linking Maryland’s quantum research ecosystem with Gyeongsangbuk-do’s industrial and manufacturing base, including its semiconductor capabilities in the city of Gumi.
“Today’s MOU with Gyeongsangbuk-do will not only strengthen our bilateral collaboration, but it will also create new opportunities for innovation in both Maryland and the Republic of Korea,” Miller said. She described College Park as the center of Maryland’s quantum ecosystem and said the Quantum World Congress provided an appropriate setting for the agreement.
Yang said the partnership is intended to help move quantum technology from research toward commercial applications by bringing together Maryland’s research strengths and Gyeongsangbuk-do’s manufacturing infrastructure. He also said the collaboration could eventually create business opportunities for companies and jobs for young people.
The agreement comes as Maryland continues to build its relationship with South Korea. The state said its 2025 trade mission helped contribute to investments by Korean companies, including Samsung Biologics and Nature Cell, which announced new facilities in Maryland and supported hundreds of jobs.
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Maryland Commerce Secretary Harry Coker Jr. said the state is now looking to extend its existing cooperation with South Korea in areas including biotechnology and aerospace into quantum technology.
Maryland’s Capital of Quantum initiative, launched in 2025, brings together the University of Maryland’s quantum programs, the National Quantum Lab, the Quantum Startup Foundry, federal laboratories, national security agencies, research institutions, investors and private-sector companies.
According to the Maryland government, the initiative has attracted more than $500 million in quantum investments since its launch. The new agreement with Gyeongsangbuk-do adds an international manufacturing and semiconductor component to the state’s broader effort to develop its quantum technology sector.