Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho, middle of the left row, speaking with Bill Nelson, administrator of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in Washington, Monday. Courtesy of the science ministry

Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho has met with U.S. technology and space officials and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and alliance in the field of cutting-edge technology, officials said Tuesday.

Lee met with Alondra Nelson, acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, in Washington on Monday (U.S. time) and discussed the need to strengthen the countries' technology alliance based on agreements of a bilateral summit held in May, the science ministry said.

According to the ministry, Nelson said she was pleased with recent semiconductor investment plans announced by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in the U.S., and Lee asked for the U.S. government's interest and support for the two companies.

The two officials also shared the need to bolster cooperation in the field of quantum technology and agreed to announce a joint statement on cooperation in the field in the second half of the year.

Lee also held meetings with Chirag Parikh, executive secretary of the White House National Space Council, and Bill Nelson, administrator of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the area of space exploration.

The minister plans to travel to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida later this week to observe the launch of the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, Korea's first homegrown lunar orbiter, scheduled for Friday morning (KST). (Yonhap)