△Professor You Ilsun presenting as a selected researcher in the quantum field at the “Horizon Europe Participating Researchers Forum”

hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea

Professor You Ilsun (Director of the Global ICT Convergence Security Innovation Research Center) of the Department of Information Security and Cryptography at the College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul), has been selected for a project under “Horizon Europe,” the European Union’s (EU) flagship research and innovation program.

This marks the first time a Korean university has been selected for a key European research consortium in the field of quantum technology combined with digital security, and is regarded as a significant achievement in terms of global technological cooperation. “Horizon Europe” is the world’s largest research and innovation program led by the EU, aiming to expand international cooperation in strategic technology fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, advanced semiconductors, and digital security.

The selected project, titled “QuoUSKWe (Quantum computing European Union–South Korea Working Team),” will be carried out over three years with a total budget of approximately 2.7 million euros. Led by the Politecnico di Milano in Italy, the project operates as a multinational consortium involving major European research institutions and companies, including the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and IQM Quantum Computers in Finland. In this project, Kookmin University will be responsible for designing and verifying the feasibility of an AI-based digital security system that combines quantum computing and high-performance computing (HPC). In particular, the university plans to focus on securing quantum-safe security technologies required for next-generation communication environments (6G) and hyper-connected digital ecosystems.

Professor You Ilsun stated, “This selection is highly significant as it signifies international recognition of our university’s research competitiveness and innovation in the fields of quantum technology and digital security,” adding, “Based on collaboration with major European research institutions, we will take the lead in securing technological sovereignty and setting international standards in future strategic technology fields.”

Professor You Ilsun has contributed to the advancement of domestic security technology and the expansion of the industrial ecosystem by conducting core research in the field of 5G/6G mobile communication security. He currently serves as chair of the IEEE 6G-IoT Quantum Security Standardization Subcommittee (P3751) and the IFIP E-Business Information Systems Working Group (WG 8.4), and is leading the development of international standards related to “embedded 6G quantum security.” Meanwhile, through this selection for the Horizon Europe project, Kookmin University’s Global ICT Convergence Security Innovation Research Center is expected to further strengthen its collaborative network with European research institutions and lay the groundwork to emerge as a global research hub in the field of quantum and AI convergence security.

Additionally, Kookmin University has announced its vision, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” to express its commitment to securing a distinctive competitive edge (Edge) amid an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. “EDGE” stands for four core values: Entrepreneurship, DX (Digital Transformation), Global (Global Competence), and ESG (Sustainable Management). To realize these values, the university has selected eight specialized fields: “Design & Content,” “Mobility,” “Quantum,” “AI+X,” “Robotics,” ‘Advanced Materials & Semiconductors,’ ‘Water, Energy, and Environment,’ and ‘Bio.’

Among these, ‘Quantum’ is one of the core areas where Kookmin University is proactively responding, following the selection of this project. Last July, the university held the first-ever ‘Quantum Campus’ declaration ceremony, marking the launch of a platform campus that connects research, education, and commercialization of domestic quantum technology.