S. Korea to secure aerospace-related carbon material technologies by investing $418 mln

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- South Korea earmarked some 500 billion won ($418.1 million) through a four-year state project to secure independent core technologies related to carbon materials with ultra-light and high-intensity features which are used for aircraft wings, satellite projectiles and space probe fuselages.

Carbon materials that take many different forms including graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotube, graphene and fullerene have been applied to electronic, electromagnetic, electrochemical, environmental and biomedical fields. South Korea has been largely dependent on imported carbon materials used in the aerospace sector.

A policy consultation session involving government officials and company representatives was held on February 18 to discuss aerospace-related carbon material technology. South Korea imports most of the ultra-high strength carbon fibers for aerospace and artificial graphite for projectile nozzles from advanced countries.

"By promoting the 'K-Carbon Flagship Technology Development' project, we will try hard to secure six core carbon materials in the aerospace sector," said Choi Woo-seok, a trade ministry official in charge of material policy, said in a statement.

Some 500 billion won will be injected from 2024 to 2028 into the K-Carbon project. Choi and other participants agreed that the ability to develop and mass-produce high-quality carbon materials is crucial in enhancing the competitiveness of South Korea's aerospace industry.

Kim Joo-heon jhkim123@ajunews.com

S. Korea to secure aerospace-related carbon material technologies by investing $418 mln

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