Customized Support for SoBuJang Specialized Complex... Proactive Infrastructure Establishment and Joint R&D Promotion

The scene of the Materials, Parts, and Equipment Competitiveness Enhancement Committee meeting held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 25th. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government will proactively support the establishment of essential infrastructure such as water supply and wastewater treatment necessary for the operation of the semiconductor cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. It will pre-establish an elemental technology testbed and promote joint research and development (R&D) involving multiple partner companies within the complex.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the 7th Materials, Parts, and Equipment (SoBuJang) Competitiveness Enhancement Committee meeting and approved the agenda titled “Customized Support Plan for SoBuJang Specialized Complexes,” which includes these measures.

Previously, the government designated five SoBuJang specialized complexes: Gyeonggi (Semiconductors), Jeonbuk (Carbon Materials), Chungbuk (Secondary Batteries), Chungnam (Displays), and Gyeongnam (Precision Machinery).

First, the semiconductor cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, will receive proactive support for infrastructure construction such as securing water supply and wastewater treatment. The volume of water required for the stable operation of semiconductor fabs (production facilities) will be incorporated early into the “2040 Basic Water Supply and Sewerage Plan,” and river occupancy permits necessary for pipeline construction will be processed swiftly. When establishing power infrastructure, up to 50% support will be provided (25% from national funds and 25% from Korea Electric Power Corporation), and indirect support such as wastewater recycling R&D will be provided for public wastewater treatment facilities.

Additionally, the testbed essential for the growth of SoBuJang companies will be secured in two phases: before and after the establishment of the Yongin cluster. The elemental technology verification base will be prepared first (Phase 1), and by the time the cluster is completed in 2025, testbeds for mass production performance verification such as lithography equipment and CVD will be established.

Joint R&D between demand and supply companies within the complex will also be promoted. Joint development of high-purity synthetic quartz and silicon precursors, as well as integrated process equipment systems for metal wiring, will be considered. The Jeonbuk carbon materials specialized complex will promote large-scale joint R&D involving various materials, parts, intermediate goods, and new demand companies to create new demand.

Furthermore, a “Manufacturing Incubating Hub” capable of producing prototypes using carbon materials and a “Carbon Industry Open Business Platform” supporting demonstrations using virtual reality will be established.

The Chungbuk secondary battery specialized complex will establish a secondary battery materials and parts testing and evaluation center and an advanced analysis testbed to ensure the reliability and safety of secondary battery products. Joint R&D and specialized workforce training for secondary batteries will be conducted simultaneously. The Chungnam display specialized complex will focus on attracting investment linked to the Asan Smart Valley, scheduled for completion this year. If new investments within Asan Smart Valley are recognized as advanced investments, the government will first consider designating part of the area as an advanced investment zone. The Gyeongnam precision machinery specialized complex will strengthen its connection with artificial intelligence (AI) by establishing an AI-based testbed and training specialized personnel. Joint R&D related to ultra-precision measurement and calibration technology will also be promoted.

At the meeting, customized support plans for 22 “SoBuJang Top Companies” were also finalized. The government will support these top companies in technology development at a level comparable to global companies.

Customized support necessary for commercialization, such as reliability and mass production evaluation and dispatching specialized personnel, will be provided, and cross-ministerial linked financial support such as loans and funds will be promoted.

Additionally, support for promoting the top companies’ product brands and developing overseas market channels will be provided, while insurance and guarantee support will be expanded to cover risks such as delayed payment collection and credit risks.

Alongside this, the government selected 65 “SoBuJang Future Leading Items” to secure future supply chains in fields such as semiconductors, batteries, and automobiles.

The government will provide mid- to long-term R&D investment for these future leading items. It also plans to relax restrictions on researcher participation and allow changes in research goals and methods to create a more autonomous research environment.

Eight cooperation models between demand and supply companies receiving government support were approved. Target items include vehicle semiconductor parts and modules, APs for integrated control of future vehicles’ networks, rare-earth permanent magnets for electric vehicle drive motors, and customized hot-stamping welding steel sheets. The government will support these companies with approximately KRW 65 billion in R&D and KRW 15 billion in policy financing for facility investment over four years. Through these cooperation models, the government expects about KRW 140 billion in new investments and the creation of approximately 500 new jobs by 2025.

The “Comprehensive Development Plan for Carbon Material Convergence Technology,” a mid- to long-term roadmap that derives 118 core elemental technologies in five strategic areas of the carbon industry and supports R&D, was also approved on this day.

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