Establishing the 'National Technology Strategy Center' to Develop Long-Term Strategies for 'So-Bu-Jang'

Ministry of Science and ICT to Finalize 'Material R&D Investment Innovation Strategy' on the 25th

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The government has decided to establish the ‘National Technology Strategy Center (NCTS)’ to ensure the formulation and implementation of a long-term investment strategy for the development and competitiveness enhancement of materials, parts, and equipment (SoBuJang) technologies.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Science and ICT held the 9th Special Committee on Materials, Parts, and Equipment Technology and deliberated and approved the ‘Materials R&D Investment Innovation Strategy (draft)’ containing this content.

Since 2019, when the Japanese government imposed export restrictions on key semiconductor materials against Korea as retaliation for a ruling by a Korean court related to forced labor, the government has been promoting comprehensive measures to strengthen SoBuJang competitiveness.

The government will first support the development of core foundational technologies with significant scientific and industrial ripple effects in this strategy. For rare elements such as rare earths, which are widely used in advanced industrial materials but have concerns about supply shortages due to monopolistic supply structures, the government plans to select key strategic elements and establish customized technology development strategies to minimize usage, substitute usage, and support the development of recycling technologies.

Until now, efforts to counter Japan’s export restrictions have focused on short-term material development and practical application for specific uses, concentrating on functional improvements following overseas cases, but there have been limitations in developing world-first, highly innovative materials with new properties. To improve this, the government plans to strengthen fundamental research based on the intrinsic functions and physical properties of materials to support the development of promising materials that surpass the physical limits and application fields of existing materials. For example, polyimide was initially developed as a heat-resistant material used in aerospace and defense, but by applying controllable excellent properties, its use has expanded to electric, electronic semiconductors, and displays, which is a good example.

In response to Japan’s export regulations and the global supply chain restructuring due to COVID-19, the government will steadily support the development of supply stabilization technologies for 185 core items, while in the mid- to long-term, it will support securing ultra-gap competitiveness through breakthrough material technology development in four major fields leading industrial and social changes: mobility, digital innovation, energy/environment, and biohealth.

The government will also strengthen efforts to utilize data and artificial intelligence in material development to minimize trial and error based on experiments and theories and shorten the development period and costs of advanced materials. In reality, foundational materials take 10 to 20 years to commercialize, and lithium-ion batteries have taken over 40 years.

The government plans to support the establishment of a ‘Data-driven Materials Research Innovation Hub’ to innovate research methodologies using data and AI, and to pilot the construction of intelligent materials laboratories that integrate AI, data, and robotics. These labs will autonomously perform new material exploration, design, synthesis, result analysis, and feedback with minimal researcher intervention, supporting the establishment of a long-term, collaborative research ecosystem.

To enable stable long-term research essential for new material development, a renewable system allowing long-term research on the same topic will also be introduced. That is, if a researcher requests additional research on a project nearing completion, the project will be evaluated, and excellent projects will be renewed and additionally supported.

To properly formulate and execute the materials R&D investment strategy, the ‘National Technology Strategy Center (NCTS)’ will be established. Until now, there have been criticisms that a permanent and professional implementation system to support the establishment of materials R&D investment strategies based on in-depth analysis of global technological changes and future market prospects has been insufficient. Accordingly, the NCTS, centered on key domestic research institutes in the materials field, will be installed and operated as a think tank responsible for collecting and analyzing domestic and international materials-related technology and policy trends, establishing national-level materials R&D investment strategies, and making policy recommendations.

The government plans to reflect this investment strategy in the 2022 National R&D Investment Direction and Criteria (draft) to be established next month and allocate and adjust the budget accordingly in next year’s budget proposal.

Kim Sung-soo, Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “To leap beyond self-reliance in the materials, parts, and equipment industry to become a leading country, it is time to prepare fundamental and long-term strategies.” He added, “The SoBuJang Technology Special Committee will fulfill its role to strengthen the foundation for SoBuJang R&D performance creation and secure future core foundational technologies through the activation of a cooperative and accumulative research ecosystem.”

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