Pohang Radiation Light Accelerator and Gyeongju Proton Accelerator Hold Industry Utilization Forum

Pohang City - Pohang Gaseokgi Research Institute Explore Strategies for Local New Industry Development

Gaseokgi Research Institute Leads Local New Industry Promotion and Science Culture Expansion

On the 8th, Pohang City announced that the 'Accelerator Industry Utilization Activation Forum' was held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, 2nd Small Conference Room, to establish mutual cooperation plans among industry, academia, and research institutes for the Pohang Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator and the Gyeongju Proton Accelerator.

On the 8th, the 'Accelerator Industry Utilization Activation Forum' was held in the 2nd Small Conference Room of the National Assembly Members' Office Building to discuss measures for mutual cooperation between industry, academia, and research on the Pohang Light Source and the Gyeongju Proton Accelerator.

This forum was organized to share various opinions among experts from the National Assembly, government, industry, academia, and research institutes on leading technology development and regional new industry advancement through accelerator utilization.

Attendees at the forum included Lee Sang-cheol, Political Affairs Special Advisor of Pohang City; National Assembly members Kim Jeong-jae, Kim Byeong-wook, and Kim Seok-ki from the Pohang and Gyeongju regions; Kim Seong-hak, Deputy Mayor of Gyeongju City; Lee Dal-hee, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongsangbuk-do; Choi Moon-gi, Director of Nuclear Research and Development at the Ministry of Science and ICT; and Kang Heung-sik, Director of Pohang Accelerator Laboratory.

Kang Heung-sik, Director of Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, emphasized that “it is time for various institutions and experts to come together for the leap forward of key domestic industries such as secondary batteries, bio, and semiconductors,” adding, “I am honored that two large-scale scientific facilities located in Gyeongbuk are discussing ways to activate the utilization of accelerator industries together, and I thank the National Assembly members, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Pohang City, and Gyeongju City officials who supported the hosting of this forum.”

The forum included industry representatives using accelerators such as Kim Ki-hong, Senior Researcher at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology; Choi Byung-hee, Surface Analysis Team Leader at LG Energy Solution; Jung Sung-soo, CTO of QRT; and Yoon Ho-sang, Director of HCT Research Institute. They exchanged diverse on-site opinions to promote practical accelerator utilization, including sharing large accelerator research experiences and expanding industrial applications.

The Pohang Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator has been operating 36 third-generation and 3 fourth-generation synchrotron radiation accelerators since its completion in 1994, based on continuous support from the government and local governments through beamline expansion and performance enhancement.

In particular, the fourth-generation synchrotron radiation accelerator, which was the third to be established worldwide following the United States and Japan, can realize X-rays at the atomic scale wavelength of lasers. It is recognized by domestic and international experts as world-class in performance aspects such as laser beam brightness and stability.

The Pohang Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator is comprehensively utilized for basic scientific research and industrial development, including new material development, nanomaterial analysis, protein structure analysis, and energy innovation through photocatalyst development. As of last year, it has conducted 2,000 projects annually and served over 5,800 synchrotron radiation users, achieving results including about 500 SCI-level papers published based on accelerator usage.

Pohang City is striving to accelerate the development of regional and national new material industries based on the excellent national joint research facility, the synchrotron radiation accelerator, and has been hosting accelerator-based international symposiums since 2018. This year, following Pohang’s selection as a specialized secondary battery complex under the National Advanced Strategic Industry Act, a symposium was held focusing on excellent achievements and utilization plans for secondary battery material development using accelerators.

Additionally, Pohang City, in cooperation with Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, held the ‘1st Bright Light Science Exploration’ last October, opening the accelerator laboratory to local residents to promote scientific culture. Going forward, it plans to collaborate with Pohang Accelerator Laboratory and local science-related institutions and organizations to promote various science popularization projects.

Lee Sang-cheol, Political Affairs Special Advisor, stated, “Pohang is promoting support and cooperation for the Accelerator Laboratory to lead regional science and technology innovation,” adding, “We will establish a close cooperative system so that the Pohang Synchrotron Radiation Accelerator can lead regional economic growth and future industrial transformation, and will promote research and development and industrial technology convergence and fusion in new growth industry sectors.”