SobuJang 'Dream Team' Emerges... Reducing Dependence on Japan

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Semiconductor materials for high-transparency imaging superlattices, which were previously supplied relying on overseas sources such as Japan, semiconductor materials for implementing displays with ultra-high resolution and ultra-flexibility, and low-loss, low-noise electromagnetic control materials to enhance 5G efficiency are being developed with domestic technology. Eleven public research institutes nationwide, 35 universities, and 40 companies have come together to achieve technological independence for the 100 key materials, parts, and equipment that surged in importance following last year's Japanese export restrictions.

The Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed the projects and institutions for the Materials Innovation Leading Project aimed at stabilizing the supply of core materials in key industries such as semiconductors, displays, and automobiles, and launched nine industry-academia-research convergence research groups on the 28th.

The Materials Innovation Leading Project is a government initiative to develop commonly required technologies targeting technological independence for 100 key items designated in response to Japan's export restrictions. A total of 206.6 billion KRW will be invested over five years.

The government supports materials, processes, and systems as a package through core technology convergence, covering material design and implementation, securing processes for componentization of developed materials, and system implementation and verification. Technologies developed through this process will be transferred to related companies within the project period. Through this, the strategy is to secure technology fees exceeding 1 billion KRW per research group and contribute to building the supply chain of the materials, parts, and equipment industry.

Jung Byung-seon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "The Materials Innovation Leading Project is expected to become a catalyst for innovation in domestic materials research by introducing an innovative R&D execution method that includes the challenging goal of completing large-scale technology transfers linked to the 100 key items (technologies) within the project period, role-sharing among industry, academia, and research institutes, and assigning public (research) responsibility through policy designation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.