Gyeongbuk Regulatory Free Zone Breaks Ground on 'Secondary Battery Integrated Management Center'

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 23rd that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Secondary Battery Comprehensive Management Center at the Blue Valley National Industrial Complex in Pohang, Gyeongbuk.

The center is expected to play a pivotal role in fostering the battery industry, which is regarded as the rice of future industries, and in revitalizing the Gyeongbuk next-generation battery recycling special zone, in collaboration with Gyeongsangbuk-do and Pohang City. It will be responsible for developing technologies to environmentally and safely separate and dismantle used electric vehicle batteries, evaluating the performance and safety of battery packs, and establishing standards for reuse and recycling classification.

With a total project cost of 10.7 billion KRW, the center will be constructed as a three-story building with a total floor area of 3,544㎡, aiming for completion in the first half of next year. It will consist of battery storage, office, and evaluation buildings.

Currently, some functions are being performed in a temporary space within the Pohang Metal Materials Industry Promotion Agency (POMIA) Steel Pipe Technology Center, but the Ministry of SMEs and Startups explained that it is difficult to flexibly respond to the explosively increasing demand for waste batteries and that the testing space is limited, making the establishment of the center necessary.

Gyeongbuk was designated as a next-generation battery recycling regulatory free zone in July last year and is preparing plans to recycle electric vehicle waste batteries with high residual value (including performance evaluation, classification, sales, and standards for reuse and recycling).

Through the establishment of the center, Pohang City plans to serve as a hub collection center for future waste resources in the Yeongnam region and help battery-related startups and SMEs rent office spaces (10 units) at low costs to develop new products and services. An open experimental space (Test-Bed) reflecting various battery usage environments will also be provided free of charge.

Kim Heecheon, head of the Regulatory Free Zone Planning Group, said, “The Secondary Battery Comprehensive Management Center should serve as a catalyst in creating the domestic battery industry ecosystem and function as a cradle nurturing many entrepreneurs in the battery-related industry.” He added, “The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will actively support the special zone to faithfully fulfill its role as a strategic hub for regional innovation growth.”

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