Government Opens Korea-Japan Independent Materials, Components, and Equipment Center Despite COVID-19 Challenges

Global R&D Infrastructure Established
in Germany's NRW State
Online Business Support Due to COVID-19

Source: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government announced that it has established a materials, parts, and equipment center in Germany despite the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). As Europe gradually reopens, the opening ceremony was finally able to take place.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 18th at 4 p.m. that it will hold an online opening ceremony for the "Korea-Germany Materials, Parts, and Equipment Technology Cooperation Center" at the Korea Press Center together with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the NRW state government agreed last December to establish the center to activate technological cooperation among companies, research institutes, and universities of both countries.

Previously, Minister Sung Yun-mo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, along with Peter Altmaier, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, announced comprehensive cooperation in the materials and parts sector last December and decided to open the center within the first half of this year.

The interior of the center in the Aachen City Region technology complex in NRW was completed with the goal of moving in by the 19th of last month, but the move-in was postponed at the request of the German side.

However, with Germany lifting entry restrictions, the ministry's goal of "opening in the first half of the year" became achievable.

This opening ceremony was held via video conference with partner organizations instead of an on-site event in Germany due to COVID-19.

Attending the opening ceremony were Jeong Seung-il, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Seok Young-cheol, President of the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT). On the German side, Andreas Pinkwart, NRW State Minister for Economic Affairs, Petra Vasner, President of NRW Economic Development Corporation, and Johannes Pitzka, Head of the Technology Cooperation Center, participated and presented corporate support programs.

Source: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained that the Aachen City Region in NRW is Germany's largest cluster of research institutions and companies with world-class research and development (R&D) infrastructure. It includes 70 universities such as RWTH Aachen University, Germany's largest technical university, a network of 41 research institutes including Max Planck and Fraunhofer, and 50 specialized research institutes.

The center will serve as a hub for technological cooperation between resident medium-sized and small enterprises and German universities, research institutions, and companies. A world-renowned expert with many years of experience in R&D and technology cooperation in Germany was selected as the center director to systematically support the discovery of local cooperation partners and joint research and development for resident Korean companies.

The center is set to house six medium-sized companies including Korea Terminal Industry (Hanguk Danja), mid-sized prospective companies like Meta Biomed, and two small and medium enterprises such as Faber Nine. A ministry official explained, "This year, medium-sized and small companies in the materials, parts, and equipment sector were selected after comprehensively evaluating the desired cooperation fields and innovation potential."

These companies will pay part of the center's operating costs and will be able to reside for up to two years. Resident companies will receive support programs such as local promotion, customized industrial information provision, partner discovery programs including innovative startup scouting, networking with advanced research institutions, universities, and companies, matching with excellent local researchers, and joint R&D support programs linked to international cooperation R&D.

Additionally, they will receive cooperation know-how through one-on-one mentoring with public research institutions and technology cooperation advisory groups. The advisory group consists of about 10 experts, including members of the Global Technology Cooperation Support Group (K-TAG).

Vice Minister Jeong said, "The center opened today holds great significance not only for the mutual win-win purpose of technological cooperation between the two manufacturing powerhouses but also as a tangible result of government efforts initiated in response to Japan's export regulations in the second half of last year. I hope it will serve as an opportunity to further develop the friendly cooperative relationship between the two countries amid the rapidly changing global trade environment."

Minister Pinkwart of the Economic Affairs Department said, "The excellent research institutions, universities, and companies in NRW are important partners for Korean companies. We hope that Korean companies with outstanding competitiveness in the materials, parts, and equipment sector will successfully enter Germany through technological cooperation."