Groundbreaking for Food Robotics Food Tech Research Support Center to Build Next-Generation K-Kitchen
NSF Certification Testing and Certification Institution Secured in Asia, Becoming a Global Food Tech Certification Hub
15.5 Billion Won Invested, Completion Targeted for 2026... Supporting Technology Demonstration and Business Incubation
Pohang City is set to become a hub for the development of food robotics technology, one of the ten core food tech technologies designated by the government.
On July 3, the city held a groundbreaking ceremony for the "Food Robotics Food Tech Research Support Center" at the Pohang Convergence Technology Industrial Complex in Heunghae-eup, Buk-gu.
The research center, which will serve as a key infrastructure leading the future food industry, began in earnest after being selected last year as the nation's first recipient of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' public project for establishing a "Food Tech Research Support Center" in the field of food robotics.
The event was co-hosted by Pohang City, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Gyeongbuk Province, and organized by the Pohang Materials Industry Promotion Agency. More than 200 participants attended, including Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang; Joo Woncheol, Director of Food Industry Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Yang Geumhee, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongbuk Province; Jyoti Basin, Executive Director of Asia-Pacific at the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF); as well as representatives from food tech companies and experts, to celebrate the groundbreaking of the research support center.
The center will be built with a total project cost of 15.5 billion won, spanning a total floor area of 2,500 square meters. It will feature a technology demonstration center, kitchen incubators, and shared research equipment facilities, with completion targeted for 2026.
Once completed, the center will enable customized kitchen automation technology demonstrations that reflect the on-site needs of restaurant businesses from the early stages of food robotics technology development. It will also serve as a hub for building a next-generation K-Kitchen ecosystem and supporting global certification of food equipment.
On the same day as the groundbreaking ceremony, Pohang City and Gyeongbuk Province signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for "Global Food Tech Certification Cooperation."
Pohang City and Gyeongbuk Province signed a memorandum of understanding for "Global Food Tech Certification Cooperation" with the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). (From left: Yang Geumhee, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongbuk Province; Jyoti Basin, Executive Director of Asia-Pacific at NSF; Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang) Photo by Pohang City
NSF is an internationally accredited organization that inspects the quality and safety of commercial food equipment, including food robots. This certification is considered an essential requirement for entering the North American and European markets.
Under the agreement, the following initiatives will be implemented: establishment of an NSF testing and analysis center in conjunction with the Food Robotics Food Tech Research Support Center; advancement and safety assurance of the food industry through NSF certification; and strengthening of global partnerships and networks in the food tech sector.
Through this agreement, the Food Robotics Food Tech Research Support Center will be designated as the first NSF testing and certification institution in Asia, following the United States and Europe. The opening ceremony for the NSF certification institution is scheduled for around November.
With the establishment of the NSF testing and certification institution, the certification period for domestic companies is expected to be drastically reduced from six months to one month, and costs are projected to decrease to about two-thirds of the current level.
Alongside the groundbreaking ceremony, the "WFT25 Food Robotics Forum" was also held at the Knowledge Industry Center, hosted by the World Food Tech Council (WFT).
The event brought together leading domestic food tech companies such as Neuromeka, Doosan Robotics, and Graphene Square, who shared industry trends and engaged in in-depth discussions on technology and policy directions.
Mayor Lee Gangdeok stated, "The food tech industry is a growth engine that will drive Pohang's future and a strategic starting point for Korea's food industry to advance globally. This research support center will establish a convergent innovation ecosystem for food, cutting-edge companies, and research institutions, becoming a key hub for leading the globalization of K-Food."
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