Jeonbuk Province Selected for "Regional Technology Innovation Hub Support Project"

Securing 20 Billion Won in National Funding Over 5 Years

Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province has been finally selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT's "2025 Regional Technology Innovation Hub Support Project."

On August 7, the province announced that it had secured 20 billion won in national funding over the next five years, presenting its vision of becoming an "Eco-friendly and High-performance Secondary Battery Materials Global Hub."

Jeonbuk Provincial Government Office view. Provided by Jeonbuk Province

Through this, Jeonbuk has laid the foundation to grow into a key hub of the K-battery innovation ecosystem.

This project is led by Jeonbuk Technopark, with participation from 11 local institutions and companies including the Jeonbuk Branch of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hansol Chemical, and Sungil Hitech. Over the past five months, they have formed a planning committee and established a mid- to long-term implementation strategy.

The province plans to proactively identify and foster gaps in the secondary battery industry, and to pursue tailored R&D and global commercialization strategies that encompass the entire value chain from materials, parts, cell manufacturing, to recycling.

The core strategies include: securing key technologies and building a supply chain for LFP (lithium iron phosphate) recycling; advancing the performance of silicon anode materials and securing cutting-edge technologies; and promoting the dissemination of strategic technologies and the activation of the global industrial ecosystem.

In particular, the province aims to actively respond to external factors such as China's weaponization of resources, the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), and the expansion of the global electric vehicle market. At the same time, it plans to intensively strengthen region-led R&D capabilities centered on cutting-edge technologies.

The "Regional Technology Innovation Hub" will strengthen the industrial value chain in connection with existing secondary battery infrastructure, and will also establish a workforce supply system, conduct mission-oriented R&D, and promote technology commercialization.

Through this project, the province expects to achieve outcomes such as securing lithium purity of 99% or higher through LFP recycling, developing anode materials with a silicon content of 20% or more, generating over 150 billion won in sales linked to commercialization, and creating more than 140 new jobs.

Shin Wonsik, Director of the Future Advanced Industry Bureau of the province, said, "The selection of the Regional Technology Innovation Hub will serve as an opportunity for Jeonbuk to rise as a hub for the dissemination of national strategic technologies," adding, "We expect it to play a vital role, like a timely rain, for the struggling secondary battery industry."

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