Quantum security systems to become mandatory in November; only three companies have PQC and KCMVP certifications

[Financial News] An amendment to the Quantum Technology Industry Act requiring the government, local governments and public institutions to establish quantum security systems will take effect on November 20. However, as of August, only three domestic companies had Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) products that had passed the Korea Cryptographic Module Validation Program (KCMVP), allowing them to supply the products to public institutions.
According to industry sources on the 15th, the amendment passed the plenary session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on April 23 and was approved by the State Council of South Korea on May 12. It was promulgated on May 19 and will take effect six months later, on November 20.
Article 18-2 of the amended law requires central administrative agencies, local governments and public institutions to establish quantum security systems, including PQC and Quantum key distribution (QKD), in accordance with technical guidelines from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Intelligence Service (NIS). Detailed criteria, including the systems subject to the requirement and the implementation schedule, will be set out in an enforcement decree and enforcement regulations. As of 2026, there are 342 public institutions. Including central administrative agencies and local governments, the number of entities covered will exceed 600.
Security products for public institutions must incorporate cryptographic modules validated by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) under KCMVP.
According to recent media reports, a count conducted on August 10 found that only three companies had passed this validation for products including PQC: Hancom WITH, with IQNUS Crypto v1.0 validated on January 13, 2025; XGate, with a PQC hybrid cryptographic module validated on April 21, 2026; and ITCEN P&S, with EdgeCrypto v4.2 validated on July 29, 2026.
The country does not lack technological assets. According to the Ministry of Intellectual Property, South Korea ranked first worldwide with 101 applications in the five IP offices (IP5) patent filings related to core technologies for PQC standards from 1997 through June 2024. That figure was more than double the 48 applications filed by the United States, which ranked second. South Korea has also secured four proprietary algorithms through a national competition.
An industry official noted, "Algorithm development, commercial module implementation and national certification are separate barriers, so there is a considerable time lag before patents lead to certified products."
[email protected] Reporter Kim Kyung-a Reporter