Goyang City Signs R&D Agreement for Urban Air Mobility New Technology

Establishing Strategic Cooperation Framework with Korean Air, LIG Nex1, POSCO, and Korea Aerospace University

Goyang Special City signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the 24th to establish a collaborative system for research and development of new UAM technologies.

Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) announced on the 25th that it signed a business agreement with Korean Air, LIG Nex1, POSCO, and Korea Aerospace University at KINTEX, where the 'Goyang Drone and Urban Air Mobility Expo' was held on the 24th, to establish a strategic cooperation system for research and development of new Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technologies.

This agreement aims to foster the UAM industry and form a research and development cluster for new technologies through mutual cooperation between Goyang City and each institution, leading innovative future mobility solutions.

Key figures attending the signing ceremony included Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City; Kim Kyung-nam, Director of Korean Air Aircraft Technology Research Institute; Choi Jong-jin, Vice President of LIG Nex1; Song Yeon-gyun, Executive Director of POSCO; and Heo Hee-young, President of Korea Aerospace University.

The main contents of the agreement include utilizing testbeds linked to UAM new technology research and development, and mutual cooperation to expand and revitalize the UAM industry in Goyang Special City.

In particular, the parties agreed to strengthen their roles in promoting the selection of the UAM GC-2 demonstration zone and conducting research services for fostering the UAM industry.

Korean Air will develop UAM systems operating in urban skies and contribute to the advancement of Goyang City's UAM by completing the world's first integrated demonstration. LIG Nex1 plans to collaborate to secure advanced future technologies for UAM based on its technological capabilities developed through producing various advanced weapon systems under the value of autonomous defense.

POSCO, through this MOU with Goyang Special City, will take charge of technology development necessary for constructing vertiports, the vertical takeoff and landing sites for UAM, contributing to building safe UAM infrastructure with advanced steel technology. Korea Aerospace University will conduct core technology development for the K-UAM safe operation system and related research projects, supporting demonstration research through its self-developed UAM simulator.

This agreement is expected to establish a long-term cooperative relationship among the institutions to prepare for the emergence of new UAM technologies.

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, stated, "Through this agreement, we will lay the foundation for Goyang Special City to grow as the center of the UAM industry," adding, "We will lead innovation in future mobility through cooperation with Korean Air, LIG Nex1, POSCO, and Korea Aerospace University."