The second UK–Republic of Korea Digital Partnership Forum, held in Seoul on 16 December 2025, marked a significant milestone in bilateral digital cooperation with direct relevance to the digital construction sector. Convened by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT, the Forum brought together policymakers, regulators, investors and technology leaders to assess progress and set priorities under the UK–ROK Digital Partnership.
Led by the UK Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan MP, and Korea’s Second Vice Minister for Science and ICT, Ryu Je-myung, the ministerial plenary reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening technology ecosystems, supporting economic growth, and reinforcing resilience and security. For organisations operating across digital construction, infrastructure delivery and the built environment, the Forum’s outcomes provide a clear signal of where future collaboration, standards development and investment are likely to be directed.
Digital partnerships and construction transformation
As construction becomes increasingly data-driven, international digital partnerships are playing a growing role in shaping how projects are planned, delivered, and operated. Technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), artificial intelligence in construction, digital twins and advanced connectivity rely on interoperable standards, secure infrastructure and trusted data environments. The UK–ROK Digital Partnership provides a structured framework to address these shared requirements at scale.
The Forum highlighted progress across four strategic pillars, each with implications for digital construction, smart infrastructure and the wider built environment supply chain.
Pillar 1: Strengthening digital infrastructure
Digital infrastructure underpins modern construction delivery, from cloud-based BIM platforms to real-time site monitoring and automated asset management. Within the Forum, telecommunications and semiconductors were identified as priority areas for joint action.
The inaugural meeting of the UK–ROK Knowledge Sharing Program on 6G Standards, held in Seoul in November 2025, enabled industry stakeholders to exchange insights on future connectivity technologies. As construction sites increasingly depend on low-latency, high-capacity networks to support automation, robotics and connected equipment, early collaboration on 6G standards is particularly relevant. The next meeting, scheduled for London in January 2026, will continue discussions, alongside exploratory talks on potential joint research and development projects.
Semiconductors were also a focal point, reflecting their importance to sensors, edge computing and embedded systems used across infrastructure and construction projects. The inaugural UK–ROK Semiconductor Stakeholder Forum in February 2025 facilitated alignment of research priorities, while invitations for UK researchers to participate in the EU–ROK International Research Forum further strengthened collaborative pathways.
Pillar 2: Fostering technological innovation through AI
Artificial intelligence remains central to productivity and performance improvements across the digital construction sector. The Forum explored bilateral opportunities aligned with the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan and Korea’s AI Action Plan, emphasising infrastructure, skills and ecosystem development.
Of particular relevance to construction technology providers is the continued collaboration between the UK AI Security Institute and the Korean AI Safety Institute through the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science. Their joint work on safe and trustworthy AI addresses growing concerns around algorithmic reliability, data integrity and system security in safety-critical environments such as infrastructure assets and major construction programmes.
The Forum’s business track connected high-potential AI companies, venture capital firms and technical experts from both countries. UK participants included Cusp AI, PhysicsX, Secondmind, Monolith AI and Abound, alongside deep-tech investors. For digital construction innovators, these connections support cross-border commercial partnerships, technology transfer and investment into AI-driven design optimisation, materials analysis and predictive maintenance.
Pillar 3: Reinforcing multi-stakeholder approaches and digital standards
Standards development remains fundamental to digital construction interoperability. The successful conclusion of the UK–ROK Knowledge Sharing Program on Building Capacity in Digital and Critical Technologies Standards in 2025 established expert networks and practical foundations for further collaboration.
Both governments are committed to building on the programme’s findings to strengthen national and international standardisation strategies. This has direct implications for BIM standards, data schemas and information management frameworks that enable consistent project delivery across borders. For organisations operating in global construction markets, alignment between UK and Korean approaches reduces fragmentation and supports scalable digital workflows.
Pillar 4: Enhancing cybersecurity and securing critical technologies
Cybersecurity continues to be a growing concern for construction clients and operators as digital systems become embedded across assets and supply chains. The Forum confirmed intentions to explore further collaboration on cybersecurity, particularly the cybersecurity of AI, within the framework of the UK–Republic of Korea Cyber Dialogue.
For the digital construction sector, this focus supports greater confidence in connected platforms, digital twins and operational technology systems used in infrastructure environments. Strengthening resilience and trust in critical technologies is increasingly seen as essential to safeguarding project data, intellectual property and public safety.
Implications for the digital construction sector
The outcomes of the UK–ROK Digital Partnership Forum demonstrate how international technology policy directly influences construction innovation. From next-generation connectivity and secure AI to harmonised standards and research collaboration, the partnership addresses the systemic enablers required for digital construction transformation.
By integrating policy alignment with business engagement and technical cooperation, the Forum provides a model for how governments can support industry-led innovation while addressing shared risks. For construction clients, consultants, contractors and technology providers, the partnership signals long-term opportunities to participate in interoperable, secure and globally connected digital ecosystems.
Through sustained UK–ROK collaboration, the Digital Partnership will support secure digital construction innovation, resilient infrastructure delivery, and internationally aligned technology standards benefiting industry, government and communities across both nations.
Read next: Integrating BIM CDE with GIS – Build in Digital
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
