Korea Joins Horizon Europe Program

The Republic of Korea has officially become the first Asian country to associate with Horizon Europe, the EU's multibillion-euro research and innovation program. Korean researchers and organizations can now participate in several areas of the programme on equal terms with those of EU Member States.

They will be able to join and lead international research consortia, access funding, and collaborate with leading research institutions across Europe and beyond to tackle global challenges. Korea will also contribute financially to the programme's budget. This association agreement strengthens the EU's geopolitical alliance with like-minded countries.

The European Commission stated that the association will lead to greater opportunities for deepening joint research across continents in various fields, including digital transition, health, and technological innovation, to achieve carbon neutrality. Since 1 January 2025, under the transitional arrangement, Korean entities have been able to apply and be evaluated as prospective beneficiaries in Horizon Europe proposals for all calls implementing Pillar II already in the budget 2025.

Horizon Europe, with a budget of €93.5 billion for the period from 2021 to 2027, is the EU's key funding program for research and innovation. It tackles climate change, supports the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, and boosts the EU's competitiveness and growth. Pillar II, the largest collaborative part with a budget of €52.4 billion, to which Korean researchers have access on equal terms now, focuses on shared global challenges such as climate, energy, digital economy, and health.