Yonsei adopts Korea’s 1st commercial quantum computer

(Yonhap)

South Korea’s Yonsei University unveiled the IBM Quantum System One, the first commercially deployed quantum computer in the country, on Wednesday.

Yonsei University and IBM Corp. also announced strategies for using the system, installed at the Quantum Computing Center at Yonsei University’s Songdo International Campus. Korea is the fifth country after the United States, Canada, Germany, and Japan, to install the IBM Quantum System One and the second university globally to do so.

Quantum System One is categorized as a quantum computer that has reached the quantum utility stage for scientific research. It features IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle quantum processor (QPU), capable of performing 2·127 simultaneous calculations.

This capability is said to process more information than the total number of stars in the universe. Researchers have deemed that surpassing 100 qubits marks the threshold where quantum computers can transition from theoretical applications to commercialization.

Experts noted that once quantum computers exceed 100 qubits, their performance will far outpace even the most advanced supercomputers.

Korea’s most sophisticated quantum computer, developed by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, currently operates at 20 qubits.

“Quantum computers are far more energy-efficient that GPUs, but the technology is still in its early stages of development,” an official from Yonsei University said.

Recognizing that high-performance quantum computers will be indispensable for future research as the technology matures, Yonsei University adopted the Quantum System One to lead in education and research.

Launched in 2019 as the world’s first general-purpose quantum computer, the system is considered the most stable of its kind. The United States remains a global leader in quantum computing technology, such as in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Unlike conventional computers, which compute 0s and 1s sequentially, quantum computers utilize superposition states of 0 and 1 to solve problems quickly and accurately, including those unsolvable by classical methods.

Instead of sequentially processing predefined outcomes like supercomputers, quantum computers operate by eliminating low-probability states through probabilistic calculations. This is why quantum computers are often compared to modern technology, while supercomputers are likened to ancient abacuses.

Yonsei University views the adoption of Quantum System One as a critical step toward establishing a quantum ecosystem in Korea.

The university plans to share the system via cloud access with other institutions and enterprises. Many Korean entities relied on overseas quantum computers through cloud access until now, often causing delays in research.

“By installing IBM Quantum System One, we have laid a solid foundation for world-class research and education in quantum computing and advanced biotechnology,” Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-sup said.

With this development, Yonsei University is expected to emerge as a hub for bioresearch in Korea. Quantum computers can significantly enhance the quality of drug development simulations, enabling more advanced research.

“A gene therapy for hemophilia B recently received FDA approval with a price tag of 4.6 billion won ($3.3 million),” Cheong Jae-ho, head of Yonsei University’s quantum computing project team said. “Quantum computing has the potential to drastically reduce drug development costs.”