Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i alchedek

The semiconductor industry is poised for a 'semiconductor spring' after a severe downturn. The hope is that an AI-fueled upward cycle will drive growth in the semiconductor market. "Tight controls on supply and output by memory manufacturers have pushed memory prices higher since early November 2023, and the demand for AI in all major applications will drive the overall semiconductor market, including design, manufacturing, and packaging test, to recover in 2024," said market research firm IDC in its 2024 global semiconductor market forecast. In response to this trend, the IC design industry is aggressively investing and focusing on developing technologies for AI adoption in client devices and automotive to increase competitiveness. LX Semicon, which has established itself as a leading domestic fabless company by building a portfolio of semiconductor products…

The evolution of the battery industry is accelerating as the application areas of batteries, which are attracting attention as a core power source for future high-tech industries and a key to leading the eco-friendly transformation of industries, are infinitely expanding. From the first generation of batteries, which were used in remote controls, cordless cleaners, and smartphones, to the second generation represented by electric vehicles, the industry is expanding to the third generation in urban air mobility (UAM), aerospace, and defence. SNE Research, a market research firm specialising in energy, forecasts that the battery (secondary battery) industry will grow from $111 billion last year to $401 billion in 2030. The growth of the battery industry is supported by the growing international interest in batteries as the main means of achieving carbon…

In the era of climate crisis, energy has become a key issue not only for national competitiveness but also for security. Faced with an unprecedented climate crisis, the world is urgently seeking ways to achieve carbon neutrality and expand renewable energy to respond to the crisis. This is because the transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system to a green and low-carbon energy system is essential to ensure environmental sustainability in the future. The efforts of companies and governments around the world to mitigate climate change have led to several campaigns, including the energy initiatives RE100 and CF100. These campaigns promote renewable energy as a key means of achieving carbon neutrality and energy security, with the aim of building and sharing business models to combat climate change and promote renewable…

The Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office was established in 2005 to improve the air quality in the metropolitan area, where more than half of South Korea’s population resides and where cars and businesses are densely concentrated. The office is implementing various policies to create a pleasant atmospheric environment. To reduce pollutants emitted from the transportation sector, which is a major cause of air pollution in the metropolitan area, the office is promoting the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to low-emission and zero-emission vehicles. Additionally, it is encouraging further reductions in emissions from large-scale facilities in the power generation and industrial sectors through voluntary agreements, and it is strengthening financial and technical support for small and medium-sized enterprises. Furthermore, to protect public health from high concentrations of ultrafine dust, the…

Since its establishment in 1992, K-water Research Institute, which continues to be the nation’s best "water research institute," conducts research on water and sewage, water resource environment, dam infrastructure safety, water energy, and water-related policies, as well as the latest technologies such as AI and digital twins. The institute has developed numerous water-related technologies through active research collaborations with domestic institutions, and has also been working with renowned overseas research institutes to acquire advanced water technologies. We look at how the company is striving to stably manage water resources and supply clean tap water to the people, and how it is enhancing the competitiveness of the national water industry through various technologies and research in conjunction with industries such as seawater desalination, renewable energy, and ultra-pure water. Good to meet…

As an AI expert organization established in December 2020 to strengthen LG Group’s AI capabilities, LG AI Research is engaged in research on the latest AI technologies, solving business challenges through the application of AI technologies, fostering local and global AI talents, and playing a role in AI ethics and trustworthiness governance. In particular, the Strategy Division, led by Yoo-chul Kim, Head of LG AI Research, is responsible for ethics and trustworthiness work, establishing major research directions and strategies for LG AI Research, and taking the lead in strengthening governance for the AI ecosystem. "AI ethics and trustworthiness work must be able to encompass various fields such as related research, external cooperation, education, internal processes, legal and IP management," said Yoo-chul Kim. "We will differentiate ourselves from other AI organizations…

Samsung Electronics, a company that symbolizes Korea’s identity and a global market leader, is preparing for a new leap forward. The strategy is to solidify the share of existing businesses such as memory semiconductors, TVs, and smartphones, while fostering future businesses such as AI, 5G, bio, and battlefield (electronic equipment) components. In addition, the company is putting its weight behind Mercury as the No. 1 system semiconductor company and is busy developing related markets with robots as the next growth engine. Since 2021, Samsung Electronics has invested 240 trillion won in future new businesses including robotics and AI, and last year, it announced the launch of a healthcare wearable robot (tentatively named EX1) for seniors, speeding up its efforts to capture the healthcare market. The outlook for next year is…

The rapid growth of the global electric vehicle market has led to a surge in demand for batteries for electric vehicles. Secondary batteries, which have been expanding their use to electric vehicles as well as energy storage systems (ESSs) and IT devices, are on the rise in demand in line with the paradigm shift of industries represented by Electrification, Carbonization, and Cordless. Secondary batteries, which are batteries that can be charged and discharged repeatedly and reused, are devices that generate and store electricity through the voltage difference between the positive and negative electrodes. According to SNE Research, a market research firm specialising in energy, the demand for electric vehicles will reach 57 million in 2030 and the demand for batteries for electric vehicles will reach 3,700 GWh (gigawatt hours). The…

The Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM) was established in 1997 as the "Korea Marine Pollution Response Corporation," a specialized institution for marine pollution response, following the Sea Prince oil spill incident in Yeosu in 1995. With the enforcement of the Marine Environment Management Act in 2008, it was expanded and reorganized into the "Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation," the nation’s only specialized institution managing the overall marine environment, including marine pollution response. To preserve the cleanliness of Korea’s marine environment and protect a sustainable and healthy marine ecosystem, approximately 700 employees are distributed across the headquarters and 14 affiliated institutions, centered around major trade ports nationwide. They operate various marine facilities and 70 vessels. Utilizing its nationwide infrastructure, KOEM conducts marine water quality and ecosystem surveys, collects marine debris,…

As seen in recent examples such as Taxonomy (Green Classification System), a low-carbon investment standard for capital markets, and CBAM (carbon border adjustment mechanism) and DPP (Digital Product Passport), which are border adjustment measures based on greenhouse gases and circulating resources, which are being promoted in Europe, the transition to a low-carbon economy and industrial system is imminent, and it is necessary to achieve economic profitability while reducing greenhouse gases. In response, Ahn Yoon-ki, who has conducted various discussions and studies related to international DB standards, climate change agreements (Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement), low-carbon, and eco-friendly issues in the environment, energy, and steel sectors at POSRI, emphasised that Korea, which has an export-oriented industrial structure centred on manufacturing, should consider the adoption rate of the best available technology (BAT)…

In an era where the number of people returning to farming and rural areas has reached 450,000, the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute (KOFPI) is leading the promotion of forestry by focusing on practical, livelihood-based R&D, a comprehensive information platform for mountain villages, and sustainable forest management. Established in 2012, the institute aims to promote the practical application and industrialization of forest science and technology, thereby increasing the income of forestry workers and creating high added value in the forestry and forest products industries. The institute leads the sustainable development of the forestry industry in South Korea through key projects such as the 'Forestry Income Increase Project,' the 'Competitiveness Enhancement Project for Forestry and Wood Industries,' and the 'Forest Resource Protection and Cultivation Project.' It is committed to active support and…

The influence of environmental issues such as sustainable development, ESG, climate crisis, and circular economy is growing. Environmental concerns have now emerged as a core global agenda affecting not only the economy, society, politics, and security but also individual lives. Countries around the world are forming a consensus on the need to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5˚C, declaring carbon neutrality, and taking further steps such as the EU’s introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). As a result, the environment has become an essential means for achieving sustainable competitiveness. To overcome the climate crisis, the most crucial aspect for us is environmental technology. Innovative environmental technologies such as renewable energy, carbon capture, and climate prediction will play a pivotal role in minimizing the impact of human life…

The world is currently promoting energy policies by promoting electric vehicles and developing renewable energy to overcome the climate change crisis, and among them, the need to build a sustainable supply chain and ecosystem is being discussed, as secondary batteries (batteries) are a key technology for carbon neutrality and will become a major driver of all industries. In addition, the global secondary battery market is expected to increase in demand and growth prospects, and Korea’s secondary battery industry is positioned as a new export growth engine based on its advanced technology with the second largest share in the world, so the government is focusing on creating an innovation ecosystem for secondary batteries, including independence in the supply chain of core raw materials and promoting the development of next-generation batteries. In…

The climate crisis is an inevitable future for humanity, and it is time to consider and find solutions to the climate crisis and adaptation. Environmental issues are directly related to the survival of humanity, and changes to the environment are bound to have a major impact not only on the environment itself but also on the economy. In particular, as the world has expanded the scope of technology development strategies from carbon neutrality to climate change adaptation technologies in order to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets, Korea will also need to stay ahead of the global competition for technological hegemony with innovative technologies. Therefore, we would like to draw attention to the need for a multifaceted approach to carbon reduction and climate and environment through environmental industry planning that utilizes…

The National Institute of Meteorological Sciences (NIMS) is a national research institution under the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and the only meteorological research institution in the country. NIMS is conducting research and technological development necessary for the KMA to implement various policies and services in the fields of meteorology and climate. Additionally, as a national research institution, it also conducts research on basic data and source technology development related to weather and climate in Korea. Park Young-yeon, who was appointed as the director of NIMS in October last year, stated that through continuous research, collaboration, and communication, all members of the institute will grow into experts in their respective fields and produce numerous world-first and top-level research achievements, thereby making efforts to bring the institute one step closer to becoming…

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the National Institute of Forest Science is the only national research institute in the field of forestry in South Korea. The institute, tasked with developing and disseminating forest science and technology to the public and forestry workers, has contributed to forest greening through forest science research, transforming once-devastated forests into the lush woods we see today. In addition to supporting government policy tasks such as climate change, biodiversity, forest fires, landslides, and digital transformation, the institute is also pursuing long-term forest science research with a 100-year perspective to ensure the continued prosperity of forests. The vision established in 2022, "We will create a better world with forests and science technology!" embodies the commitment to wisely utilizing and conserving forests, and sharing the resulting benefits…

Currently, the world is engaged in fierce competition for technological supremacy to secure the digital future. Since the emergence of Chat-GPT by OpenAI, public interest in artificial intelligence has surged, highlighting AI and AI semiconductors as the core engines driving future tech innovation. Hong Jin-bae, President of the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), added that in the future of AI, “As it evolves into a multimodal intelligent agent, it will be directly embedded in PCs, smartphones, robots, etc., allowing for free control of devices and performing complex tasks. It will integrate and spread across all industrial sectors such as manufacturing, transportation and logistics, pharmaceuticals and bio, and services, accelerating the usability and pace of change in AI technology.” As the competition in ICT development accelerates,…

In May, the Gyeonggi Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration designated 119 companies in the Gyeonggi region as '2024 Global Small Giants.' The 'Global Small Giants 1000+ Project' is a program that selects export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with high growth potential and nurtures them into leading export companies. Since 2023, the project has integrated the previously separate designation systems for Global Small Giants, Export Promising SMEs, and Export Dream SMEs, which had different selection procedures, schedules, and criteria. Among the 473 companies designated as Global Small Giants nationwide this year, 119 are from the Gyeonggi region. These include 34 Global Promising Companies, 35 Global Growth Companies, 23 Global Small Giants, and 27 Global Small Giants+. The industry distribution of the newly designated companies is as follows: machinery,…