Hosting a National Assembly Forum on Attracting the 'Ultra-High Power Laser Research Facility,' a Core Technology of Advanced Industries

Joint Proposal by Gwangju and Jeonnam National Assembly Members... Emphasizing National Balanced Development and the Necessity of Naju Attraction

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae Highlights "Completion of Kentech, Citizens' Aspiration, and Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan Development"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] A forum to attract the “Ultra-High-Power Laser Research Facility,” a trillion-won-scale mega national project aimed at advancing to one of the top five scientific and technological powers through fostering strategic breakthrough technologies, to the Gwangju-Jeonnam joint (Naju Bitgaram) Innovation City was held at the National Assembly on the 28th.

Naju City, Jeonnam, announced that the “Feasibility Discussion on the Establishment of the Ultra-High-Power Laser Research Facility” was held at 2 p.m. that day in the main conference room of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building, with about 150 participants including laser-related academia, research experts, and political figures.

Yoon Byung-tae, mayor of Naju City, attended the forum together with Kim Young-rok, governor of Jeonnam Province, emphasizing the research infrastructure advantages, safe site conditions, and connectivity with Korea Energy Technology Institute (KENTECH) of the Gwangju-Jeonnam joint Innovation City, the optimal location for attracting the ultra-high-power laser research facility, lending his support.

The forum was co-hosted by National Assembly members Shin Jeong-hoon (Naju-Hwasun), Lee Yong-bin (Gwangju Gwangsan Gap), Yoon Young-duk (Gwangju Dongnam-gu Gap), and Min Hyung-bae (Gwangju Gwangsan Eul), organized by the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies (President Lee Woo-il), and supported by Jeonnam Province, Naju City, the Korean Optical Society, and the Gwangju-Jeonnam branch of the Korean Physical Society.

Before the forum, 18 National Assembly members from the Gwangju-Jeonnam constituencies, including Shin Jeong-hoon, chairman of the Jeonnam Provincial Party of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Byung-hoon, chairman of the Gwangju City Party, issued a joint statement urging the attraction of the ultra-high-power laser research facility to the Gwangju-Jeonnam joint Innovation City.

Assemblyman Shin Jeong-hoon said, “From the perspective of national balanced development, the ultra-high-power laser research facility, a large-scale national research facility, must be attracted to the Gwangju-Jeonnam joint Innovation City to resolve the regional imbalance in national R&D,” adding, “The Gwangju-Jeonnam joint Innovation City is the optimal site with the best scalability, ease of development, ground safety, and service convenience.”

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae of Naju attracted attention by emphasizing the necessity of attracting the ultra-high-power laser research facility with points such as “completion of KENTECH,” “citizens’ aspirations and efforts,” and “role as a hub for national balanced development.”

Mayor Yoon said, “There is a plan to build a mega national research facility together with KENTECH in August 2019,” and “the establishment of the ultra-high-power laser research facility is the true completion of KENTECH.”

He continued, “Attracting a large national research facility is the passionate wish of the citizens,” and explained, “I believe this event exists as a result of long-standing efforts with National Assembly members and Jeollanam-do to plan the ultra-high-power laser research facility and secure national budget for feasibility studies.”

Mayor Yoon concluded, “The Innovation City, with excellent locational and physical conditions, will leap forward as a hub for the wide-area development of Gwangju and Jeonnam once the research facility is attracted,” and said, “As the government has established the Local Era Committee to express its commitment to national balanced development, the ultra-high-power laser research facility will serve as the most exemplary facility for balanced development.”

The National Assembly forum that day consisted of expert presentations related to the establishment of the ultra-high-power laser facility and a comprehensive discussion session.

Jung Young-ok, vice president of the Korean Optical Society, gave a presentation on “Current and Future Technologies for High-Power Laser Applications,” and Gong Hong-jin, professor emeritus at KAIST, presented on “Ultra-High-Power Laser Research Facility and Basic Science Development.”

The comprehensive discussion was chaired by Seok Hoe-yong, head of the Gwangju-Jeonnam branch of the Korean Physical Society, discussing the “Necessity of the Ultra-High-Power Laser Research Facility.”

Meanwhile, LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) refers to the physical phenomenon of light amplification, characterized by directivity, coherence, high power, and polarization. “Ultra-high-power laser” refers to artificial light that emits powerful intensity and high energy in an extremely short time.

It is a source technology with high contribution to national science and technology development and significant market ripple effects, considered a core technology in advanced industries such as semiconductors, biotechnology, space, and defense.

Jeonnam Province and Naju City have been the first among local governments nationwide to enter the competition to attract the ultra-high-power laser research facility to secure the laser new industry.

This year, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to select a candidate site near the Naju Bitgaram Innovation City within 500,000 square meters through a nationwide public contest, and with a project cost of 900 billion won, establish a research base for basic science and convergence technology utilizing lasers over 10 years starting in 2024.

The city plans to launch an all-out campaign to attract the ultra-high-power laser research facility through close cooperation with Jeonnam Province, Gwangju Metropolitan City, related academic experts, and the formation of an attraction promotion team.

Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong ks7664@asiae.co.kr