South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance held the 2026 Hyper-Innovation Economy Forum, organized by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, to review graphene and small modular reactor projects and examine growth opportunities in physical artificial intelligence and advanced logistics. The discussions focused on translating technological development into commercial applications. The government's existing initiative supports selected growth sectors through fiscal, tax and financial measures alongside regulatory improvements.
The graphene discussion examined expanding research and development to meet demand from advanced industries, building on work to establish a foundation for commercialization. For innovative small modular reactors, the forum reviewed technological progress and further development and commercialization plans targeting a position among the top three in the global market.
Discussion of physical AI, which enables artificial intelligence to operate through robots and machinery, emphasized strengthening core components and conducting demonstrations in industrial settings. The government has already selected next-generation sensors, actuators and secondary batteries for humanoid robots as additional projects under its support initiative. The logistics discussion included a proposal for a demonstration platform to test AI applications and support the industry's digital transformation.