Jul. 18, 2025 –
The Republic of Korea is the first Asian country to join and help fund with the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.
After a trial period that started in January 2025, Korean researchers and companies can now participate in several areas of the programme on equal terms with those for EU Member States.
They will be able to join and lead international research consortia, access funding and collaborate with leading research institutions across Europe. The Korean government will also contribute financially to the programme’s budget.
This will provide greater opportunities for deepening joint research across continents in many fields, such as digital transition, health, and cleantech. Horizon Europe is currently open to 19 countries outside the European Union, including the UK, Israel, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.
The programme has a budget of €93.5bn for 2021-27. Pillar II of the programme, 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.