IonQ and SDT form multi-year quantum partnership in South Korea
IonQ has partnered with South Korea’s SDT in a multi-year agreement to bring quantum hardware, quantum memory, and manufacturing to the Asia-Pacific market. The collaboration centers on deploying IonQ’s trapped-ion Superion 256 system, supplying silicon-vacancy (SiV) quantum memory modules, and establishing local system integration and manufacturing in Gumi, South Korea.
Driving quantum hardware and memory
Under the agreement, SDT will integrate and operate Superion 256 units in regional facilities while acting as a supplier for IonQ’s SiV quantum memory modules. The deal covers packaging, module assembly, and system-level integration to support low-latency hybrid workflows that combine quantum processors with classical compute.
“Localizing deployment and memory supply accelerates real-world access to high-fidelity trapped-ion systems,” said IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi. “This partnership helps move hardware beyond cloud access toward regionally anchored infrastructure.”
South Korea’s emerging quantum hub
Gumi will host a manufacturing and integration center focused on memory packaging, device assembly, and hybrid quantum-classical data center builds. SDT plans to expand use cases spanning materials science to biomedical research by colocating quantum systems with classical compute and specialized labs.
“Building production and integration capabilities in Gumi positions South Korea to participate in the next phase of quantum commercialization,” said SDT CEO Jiwon Yune. “We will support local research and industry with onshore systems and services.”
Strategic impact and outlook
The partnership signals a shift from purely cloud-based quantum access toward tangible regional infrastructure: on-premises Superion 256 units, domestic quantum memory supply, and hybrid data centers. For IonQ, the agreement extends its Asia-Pacific footprint and system availability. For South Korea, it creates workforce, manufacturing, and research pathways that could accelerate applied quantum projects in healthcare and industry.
By combining IonQ’s trapped-ion technology with SDT’s manufacturing and integration capabilities, the collaboration aims to establish Gumi as a practical hub for quantum hardware and hybrid computing in the region.
