On 1 March 2025, the Republic of Korea joined NATO's Science & Technology Organization (STO) Science & Technology (S&T) Enhanced Partnership, a programme designed to promote joint research and development in advanced S&T fields. With this status, the Republic of Korea will participate in the NATO S&T Board, which provides strategic guidance on NATO's collaborative scientific research, and engages in joint research and development projects in areas such as medicine, sensing, cyber security, propulsion and power systems.
That same day, Switzerland and Ukraine also joined the STO S&T Enhanced Partnership. Australia and Japan were the first S&T Partner nations, in 2015 and 2020 respectively.
Dr Bryan Wells, NATO Chief Scientist, said: "The NATO S&T Organization has always had a strong tradition of building close relations with NATO Partners. Bringing the Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Ukraine together with Australia and Japan as S&T Enhanced Partners marks a step change in our engagement. I look forward to welcoming our new S&T Enhanced Partners to their first NATO S&T Board meeting in Brussels in early April."
