Chungnam National University Secures 'Semiconductor Joint Research Center'... Daejeon City Highlights Synergy with Nano and Semiconductor National Industrial Complex

Chungnam National University has secured the Semiconductor Joint Research Center (hereinafter referred to as the Research Center). The Research Center will be built near Engineering Building 1 on Chungnam National University’s Daedeok Campus and is scheduled to begin full operation in 2026.

Daejeon City announced on the 16th that Chungnam National University was finally selected for the Ministry of Education’s “Regional Semiconductor Joint Research Center Designation and Operation Project.”

Aerial view of the Chungnam National University Semiconductor Joint Research Center building. Provided by Daejeon City.

The project aims to alleviate manpower shortages in the industry by establishing and operating research centers equipped with education, research, and practical training functions in four non-metropolitan regions. The regional research centers will be established at Chungnam National University, Kyungpook National University, Pusan National University, and Chonnam National University.

According to the selection results, Chungnam National University plans to invest 35.8 billion KRW to build the Research Center, including 16.4 billion KRW in national funds, 16.4 billion KRW in city funds, and 3 billion KRW in university matching funds. Including equipment construction costs, the total budget invested in the Research Center is estimated to reach approximately 59.6 billion KRW.

Once established, the Research Center will enable support such as equipment usage training programs tailored to the semiconductor industry, provision of semiconductor industry specialized personnel and product testbed technical support, enhancement of industry-academia-research joint research, and securing of core foundational technologies.

Based on this, the university expects to cultivate about 300 semiconductor-related personnel annually across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, provide technology and product support to the semiconductor industry in the Chungcheong region, and foster the creation of over 100 core technologies annually through joint research.

Previously, Daejeon City expressed its willingness to support the establishment of a semiconductor talent cultivation platform by matching government funds (16.4 billion KRW) on a 1:1 basis and collaborating with 15 engineering-related universities in the Daejeon area, government-funded research institutes, and companies based on the joint research center.

Furthermore, with Chungnam National University’s actual selection in the competition, it is anticipated that synergy effects can be maximized by linking the recently designated Nano-Semiconductor National Industrial Complex with the Research Center.

In particular, Daejeon City plans to respond to semiconductor industry manpower demand by linking with ongoing competitive projects such as the Advanced Semiconductor Strategic Industrial Complex and aims to develop Daejeon into a hub city for talent cultivation.

Han Sun-hee, Director of Strategic Business Promotion at Daejeon City, said, “The selection in the competition is a result that proves Daejeon is the optimal location for semiconductor talent cultivation,” adding, “We will strive to develop Daejeon into a hub city leading the semiconductor industry not only in Korea but globally.”

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