MOTIE Industrial Technology R&D

MOTIE Industrial Technology R&D

Supports Korea's industrial technology development through ministry-backed research opportunities across key sectors.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of South Korea operates the largest national industrial R&D grant program in the country, with a 2026 budget commitment of KRW 5.5 trillion distributed across five strategic pillars. The five pillars and their 2026 allocations are: advanced strategic industries including semiconductors, secondary batteries, biotech, mobility, and robotics (KRW 1.83 trillion); industrial AI adoption through the M.AX initiative (KRW 1.05 trillion); materials, parts, and equipment supply-chain stabilization (KRW 1.49 trillion); talent development and global R&D collaboration (KRW 704 billion); and green process innovation including hydrogen steelmaking (KRW 299 billion). Individual calls within each pillar are issued on a rolling annual cycle by two subordinate agencies: KIAT (Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology) and KEIT (Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology).

Eligible applicants are Korean firms of all sizes — large enterprises, mid-market companies, and SMEs — as well as Korean universities and research institutions. Foreign entities are not eligible for domestic industrial R&D calls; international participation is available through the Global Technology Cooperation sub-program. Applications are submitted in Korean via KIAT or KEIT portals, depending on which agency manages the specific call. KEIT's mission is to plan, evaluate, and manage national industrial R&D programs on behalf of MOTIE, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI-driven industrial transformation, supply-chain resilience, and carbon-neutral processes.

For prospective applicants, the practical entry point is monitoring the KIAT and KEIT portals for individual call announcements, which specify award ranges, eligibility conditions, evaluation criteria, and deadlines at the sub-program level. The KRW 5.5 trillion aggregate figure represents the full-year budget envelope; individual call amounts are a fraction of that total. The annual rolling cycle ensures continuous funding opportunities across technology verticals.