The government is investing about 160 trillion won in private and public R&D in three key technology fields, including semiconductors, displays, and next-generation batteries, to start a battle to secure the world’s No. 1 super-gap technology.
Accordingly, a total of 100 future core technologies will be secured, and R&D funds will be invested in the three major technology fields for five years until 2027. In addition, it plans to form a pan-governmental research consultative body at the level of ministries to support the securing of super-gap technology.
The Ministry of Science and ICT jointly announced the ‘R&D Strategy for the Super Gap in Three Key Technologies’ at the Emergency Economic Ministers’ Meeting on the 6th.
Meanwhile, this strategy was established as a follow-up to President Yoon Seok-yeol’s instructions at the 14th Emergency Economic and People’s Livelihood Meeting and as a detailed plan for the ’23-year implementation plan for the new growth 4.0 strategy’.
◆ Formation of public-private research council
Organize and operate a public-private research consultative body at the pan-ministerial level for each sector.
There is an urgent need for preemptive R&D investment based on public-private collaboration to preoccupy the future market in the three major technology fields based on the superior capabilities of the private sector.
In addition, the three major technology fields tended to be supported in a segmented manner in the basic/source, application/development, and commercialization stages.
Therefore, in order to overcome these problems and support research without interruption centered on private demand technology, a public-private research council composed of related ministries and industry, academia, research experts and organizations will be formed within this year.
Through this, it plans to closely link all stages of R&D, from planning R&D projects to sharing and utilizing research results.
◆ Investment in private and public R&D funds
Together with the private sector, it plans to invest a total of 160 trillion won in public and private R&D funds for five years until 2027 to secure super-gap technologies in the three major technologies of semiconductors, displays, and next-generation batteries and create new markets.
In today’s rapidly changing technological environment, it is important to predict next-generation technologies that will influence the global market and proactively support R&D.
In response, the government selected a total of 100 future core technologies along with experts from industry, academia, and research in the process of establishing a strategy.
First of all, a total of 45 semiconductors were selected in three areas: device, design, and process, and a total of 28 were selected for display to secure ultra-realistic, next-generation free-form, and convergence technologies.
In addition, for next-generation batteries, a total of 27 technologies were selected in the fields of secondary batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, and isotope batteries, and plans to focus on supporting future core technologies by revising and supplementing them every year.
In addition, the government’s R&D in the three major technologies is supported in a balanced way by strengthening the application and development stage and current generation technology as well as the basic and source stage and next-generation technology.
In particular, it plans to actively promote R&D, manpower, and tax support by utilizing laws and systems related to strategic technology by ministry so that R&D investment can be made quickly in the technology sector needed by the private sector.
To this end, communication and cooperation between ministries will be strengthened so that important technologies of private companies can be immediately reflected in the target of support when selecting detailed national strategic technologies under the Special Act on Taxation.
◆ Cultivation of professional manpower
We support high-quality manpower with master’s and doctoral degrees as well as professional manpower so that they can enter the private sector at the right time.
In response, the university research base establishment project is newly established and expanded to nurture high-quality manpower with master’s and doctoral degrees in each of the three major technology fields. In addition, through the contract quota system, the establishment of contract departments and major tracks, we actively support the cultivation of professionals who can immediately put them into practice.
◆ Creation of researcher-oriented infrastructure
To promote R&D to secure future super-gap technology, create a researcher-centered infrastructure and activate international cooperation.
It is promoting the establishment of a specialized open fab centered on researchers who can produce prototypes based on new materials and structures related to semiconductors, and creating customized research infrastructure for displays and next-generation batteries.
In addition, the division of roles between existing fabs, such as the National Institute of Nanotechnology (Si CMOS process) and the Korea Institute of Nanotechnology (compound process), will be clarified and links will be strengthened.
In order to solve core challenges for each technology through international collaborative research with the US and the EU, it plans to strengthen international cooperation by holding researcher forums and continuously promoting new joint R&D projects with technologically advanced countries.
Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho emphasized, “The fields of semiconductors, displays, and next-generation batteries are a group of technologies that have supported our economy reliably based on outstanding private capabilities.”
He added, “We will continue to strengthen R&D investment through public-private collaboration to secure the world’s No.
Inquiries: Source Technology Division of the Ministry of Science and ICT (044-202-4513), Semiconductor Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (044-203-4274), Battery Electrical and Electronics Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (044-203-4266), Display Appliances Team of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy ( 044-203-4257)