IonQ will supply its Superion 256 system and silicon-vacancy quantum memory as SDT plans a quantum manufacturing hub in Gumi.
IonQ and South Korean quantum technology company SDT have expanded their partnership into hardware deployment and manufacturing, with plans to bring IonQ’s latest Superion 256 quantum computer and silicon-vacancy (SiV) quantum memory module to South Korea.
The multi-year agreement will also see SDT establish a dedicated quantum manufacturing and system-integration facility in Gumi, South Korea. The companies said the collaboration is intended to support quantum computing, networking and regional commercialization across the Asia-Pacific region.
The deployment would mark the first arrival of both the Superion 256 system and IonQ’s SiV quantum memory module in South Korea, according to IonQ.
From Cloud Integration to Hardware
The partnership expands an existing relationship between the two companies that began with cloud-based software integration. It now covers physical hardware production, assembly, system integration and regional resale.
The Superion 256 is planned for deployment with an SDT customer in South Korea. IonQ and SDT intend to use the system as part of a hybrid quantum-classical data center, combining quantum computing with conventional computing infrastructure.
IonQ unveiled the Superion 256 earlier this month as the first system in its sixth-generation quantum computing platform. The company says the platform is designed around a semiconductor-based architecture intended to support future scaling. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
The South Korean deployment will therefore involve a system that is still moving from development toward commercial delivery rather than an already established production platform.
Gumi Facility to Support Quantum Manufacturing
SDT plans to establish the new manufacturing and system-integration facility in Gumi as part of the agreement.
The site is expected to handle SiV quantum memory packaging and manufacturing, along with quantum system assembly, integration and commissioning. SDT also plans to participate in the operation of IonQ systems and explore manufacturing additional quantum components.
The companies said the facility could become part of IonQ’s broader supply chain and support regional deployments across Asia-Pacific.
SiV quantum memory is relevant to quantum networking because quantum information needs to be stored, transferred and synchronized across distributed systems. The combination of quantum computing hardware and quantum memory is intended to provide infrastructure for future quantum data-center and networking applications.
Medical Research Also in Focus
The partnership includes a separate project involving a planned cancer center in South Korea.
SDT and IonQ intend to develop hybrid quantum-classical infrastructure for medical and biomedical research at the center. The companies have not yet disclosed the specific institution or detailed scope of the project.
IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi said the agreement would expand the company’s commercial presence in South Korea while supporting quantum applications in cancer and biomedical research.
South Korea has become an important market in IonQ’s Asia-Pacific expansion. The company has existing collaborations in the country with organizations including KISTI, SK Telecom and Hyundai Motor Company, as well as Seoul National University and Sungkyunkwan University.
Building a Regional Quantum Supply Chain
For SDT, the agreement moves its role beyond software and system integration toward manufacturing and supply-chain participation.
SDT CEO Jiwon Yune said the company plans to use the Gumi facility to assemble quantum systems, support IonQ’s regional deployments and pursue opportunities to manufacture additional quantum components.
The development comes as quantum-computing companies increasingly focus on manufacturability and integration alongside improvements in quantum performance. IonQ has said the Superion platform is designed to support future systems scaling from hundreds of qubits toward much larger architectures, with the company targeting manufacturable, commercial fault-tolerant systems later this decade.
The financial terms of the IonQ-SDT agreement were not disclosed.
The immediate focus will be the deployment of the Superion 256 system and SiV quantum memory module in South Korea, followed by development of SDT’s Gumi facility. If the planned manufacturing operations proceed, the site could give IonQ a local base for quantum system assembly, memory production and regional deployment as the Asia-Pacific quantum market develops.
