The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, regarding the ‘project for establishment of facilities and equipment for demonstrating extreme materials’ held a starting ceremony and a signboard hanging ceremony for the promotion team of the extreme materials empirical research base creation project with Industry-Academic-Institute experts meeting. On March 29 (Wednesday), KIMS invited key officials, including Jong-ho Lee, Minister of MSIT, to hold such an event at the headquarters of KIMS, located in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, and had time to listen to the plan to establish a foundation for empirical research on extreme materials.

The ‘project for establishment of facilities and equipment for demonstrating extreme materials’ is a project to create a foundation for empirical research such as test evaluation and pilot production for the development of ‘promising future materials’ such as ultra-high temperatures, extremely-low temperatures, and specific extreme condition. This aims, in the national strategy, to overcome the technological gap in extreme materials and secure leading technologies. With the goal of strengthening technological competitiveness in high-tech fields such as hydrogen, shipbuilding, and marine, a total of KRW 309.65 billion will be invested from 2023 to 2028 to support demonstration R&D projects for the localization of extreme materials.

At the event, while listening to and discussing plans to establish a foundation for empirical research on extreme materials, there was much talk about the expected effects related to technology independence and technology leadership of extreme materials for core items of materials, parts, and equipment.

Meanwhile, Minister of MSIT Jong-ho Lee, who attended this event, said, “The project to establish a foundation for empirical research on extreme materials will be an opportunity to strengthen Korea’s capacity for empirical research on extreme materials and arrange a bridgehead to secure technological competitiveness.” He continued, “To this end, the MSIT plans to continuously promote the formation of an empirical infrastructure cooperative system for the establishment of an extreme materials empirical research foundation, linkage with the commercialization of empirical research results, the discovery of demand for extreme materials R&D, etc.”

In addition, Jung-hwan Lee, President of KIMS, said, “For the successful commercialization of extreme material technology, empirical research that simulates the actual environment is essential.” He continued, “We will do our best to ensure that the project proceeds without a hitch, recognizing that the source of the competitiveness of materials, parts, and equipment comes from the challenge and growth to the extreme.”