A national foundation for advancing materials commercialization is set to propel innovation in the manufacturing industry through material technology. The Korea Institute of Materials Science(KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the 'Advanced Materials Demonstration Research Complex' on November 9th (Thursday) at the 2nd campus of KIMS in Yeojwa-dong, Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si. The objective is to establish empirical research infrastructure for materials, foster industry-academia-research cooperation, and contribute to the development of local industries.

Approximately 100 individuals representing local governments, major affiliated organizations, and businesses attended the event. Notable attendees included Kim Byeong-gyu, Deputy Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province for Economic Affairs, and Cho Myung-rae, Second Vice Mayor of Changwon Special City.

KIMS has been collaborating with the government(Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Science and ICT) and local authorities(Gyeongsangnam-do and Changwon Special City) since 2020 to establish an ‘Advanced Materials Demonstration Research Complex’. This collaboration involves integrating the material verification infrastructure construction plan into the government's policy on materials, parts and equipment management. Additionally, a long-term material verification plan is being developed to support material commercialization and quality certification. Recognizing the common challenge where excellent basic research results in materials often face obstacles in transitioning to practical use during the commercialization stage, our focus is on strengthening the verification process. We aim to provide comprehensive support for commercialization and quality certification, ensuring that companies in demand can effectively utilize these resources.

The establishment of the‘Advanced Materials Demonstration Research Complex’ is a project aimed at creating an empirical research foundation for (Stage 1) metal materials, (Stage 2) extreme materials, and (Stage 3) functional materials. The total project cost by 2030 is 462.95 billion won, with 370.3 billion won from national funds, 61.4 billion won from local funds, 23 billion won from private funds, etc. The first stage, the‘Project for the Establishment of Metal Material Empirical Research’, focues on creating a foundation for the technological independence of core metal material items in major industries such as electric vehicles, the defense industry, and nuclear power plants. To achieve this, KIMS plans to build a ‘Metal Material Verification Test Bed’ and a‘Power Unit Smart Manufacturing Center’by 2024.

The purpose of the metal material verification test bed is to establish a semi-mass production-scale process infrastructure to

support metal material verification. The total project cost is KRW 44.75 billion over three years ('21~'24), with funding

distributed as follows: KRW 29.25 billion from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KRW 4.975 billion from Gyeongnam

Province, KRW 4.975 billion from Changwon Special City, and KRW 5.55 billion from KIMS internal funds. The facility encompasses

a total floor area of 3,998㎡, with a building area of 2,845㎡, featuring one floor underground and two floors above ground.

The purpose of the Power Unit Smart Manufacturing Center is to establish a foundation for verification support in the

manufacturing of power unit materials and parts (turbine, motor, engine). The total project cost is KRW 33.55 billion over four

years ('20~'24), with KRW 8 billion from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KRW 9.13 billion from Gyeongnam

Province, KRW 13.7 billion from Changwon Special City, and KRW 2.72 billion from KIMS internal funds. The facility has a total

floor area of 2,487㎡, a building area of 1,812㎡, and comprises one underground floor and two above-ground floors.

Through the establishment of the ‘Advanced Materials Demonstration Research Complex,’KIMS envisions creating a cluster-type materials demonstration center that integrates large-demand companies, materials and parts supply firms, and public institutions specializing in materials within the Changwon region. Moreover, by accelerating activities such as discovering entrepreneurs, nurturing startups, and providing technology management mentorship, the complex aims not only to invigorate prospective entrepreneurs and startups but also to contribute to revitalizing the technology-based economy in the region. This, in turn, will lead to job creation and increased population attraction by securing regional network centers.

President Jung-hwan Lee of KIMS said,“Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the Changwon National Industrial Complex, signifying a crucial moment for a significant leap into a new era of industry.” He added,“I sincerely hope that the first phase of this advanced materials demonstration research complex construction project will serve as a pivotal catalyst in fields such as smart mobility, next-generation nuclear power, hydrogen energy, and aerospace. This, in turn, will pave the way for the future of the Changwon National Industrial Complex.”