Daejeon Technopark Hosts 'Innovation Forum' to Build Collaborative Ecosystem for Defense Semiconductors

A Platform for Discussion Among Five Key Players:
Daejeon Metropolitan City, KAIST, ETRI, Hanwha Systems, and Daejeon Technopark

Photo by Daejeon Technopark

An "Innovation Forum" aimed at establishing a collaborative ecosystem for defense semiconductors was held in Daejeon.

On the afternoon of November 24, Daejeon Technopark hosted the Innovation Forum at the Onoma Hotel in Daejeon, in cooperation with Daejeon Metropolitan City and the Daejeon-KAIST Strategic Business Research Center, to promote technological self-reliance in defense semiconductors (GaN RF) and to build a domestic supply chain.

This forum was the first discussion held following the signing of a business agreement to establish a cooperative system among Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Hanwha Systems, and Daejeon Technopark.

The event was attended by around 50 participants, including officials from central government ministries, local governments, research institutes, and the industry sector. Presentations covered topics spanning policy, technology, and industry.

Photo by Daejeon Technopark

During the policy session, Cho Junho, Senior Researcher at the Defense Semiconductor Project Group, introduced development strategies and policy directions for the defense semiconductor industry, while Kang Dongmin, Director of the RF and Power Components Research Laboratory at ETRI, shared the current status of domestic technology and strategies for building an ecosystem.

In the subsequent technology and industry session, Hong Yunseok, Director at Hanwha Systems, presented on strategies for applying the technology to weapon systems and utilizing foundries, while Sun Woong, Director at LIG Nex1, discussed industrial field demand and directions for technology application.

Participants agreed that the GaN RF (gallium nitride-based high-frequency, high-power semiconductor), a core technology in defense semiconductors, cannot be advanced by a single institution alone. They emphasized the necessity of an integrated cooperative ecosystem involving industry, academia, research, and government, including the establishment of public fabs, securing design capabilities, nurturing specialized talent, and building corporate collaboration systems.

In particular, Daejeon is regarded as the optimal region for fostering such an ecosystem, as it is home to key national research institutes and an industrial base, including KAIST, ETRI, and Daejeon Technopark.

Experts predicted that, starting with this forum, Daejeon will establish a comprehensive system covering everything from policy planning and technology roadmap development to corporate support and talent cultivation, thereby playing a pivotal role in the defense semiconductor sector.

Kim Wooyeon, President of Daejeon Technopark, stated, "Defense semiconductors are a core field that determines national security and future industrial competitiveness. Based on Daejeon's research and industrial infrastructure, Daejeon Technopark will work closely with relevant organizations to create a collaborative ecosystem for defense semiconductors, spanning from technology development to industrial establishment."

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