Hands-On Experience of Pohang's Battery Ecosystem and Infrastructure Offered to Youth Nationwide
Mayor Lee: "Supporting the Growth of Future Battery Talent, Advancing as the World's Leading Battery City"
Pohang City, which boasts the nation’s leading battery ecosystem, hosted the ‘2025 K-Battery Youth Academy’ in partnership with Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A at the POSCO International Hall from August 7 to 8.
Lee Gangdeok, mayor of Pohang, delivering a welcome speech at the '2025 K-Battery Youth Academy' held from the 7th to the 8th at the POSCO International Hall. Provided by Pohang City
Now in its second year, this academy was organized to deepen young people’s understanding of advanced battery technologies and to provide them with opportunities to explore career paths in the future secondary battery industry.
This year, the participant pool, previously focused on middle and high school students, was expanded to include fifth graders and above from elementary schools. The program also garnered attention by introducing a digital learning environment using tablet PCs and AI programs instead of traditional paper materials.
The opening ceremony was attended by key figures including Lee Gangdeok, mayor of Pohang, Kim Ilman, chairman of the Pohang City Council, and Kim Junghoon, executive director of Dong-A Ilbo, as well as about 100 youth and parents from across the country.
The academy featured a program that combined theory and hands-on experience, including lectures on basic battery concepts, expert talks on the principles and materials of secondary batteries, a tour of the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, and practical sessions assembling battery-powered fan kits.
Following a keynote lecture by Professor Hong Jihyun of POSTECH on ‘Principles of Secondary Batteries and Next-Generation Electrode Materials’ and a talk by Dong-A Science journalist Kim Soyeon on ‘Understanding the Principles of Secondary Batteries Made Easy,’ participants toured the research lab and assembled fans powered by batteries, allowing them to easily grasp charging and discharging principles through direct experience.
In addition, students were able to prepare for the offline event by first studying battery industry trends, global competition, and AI convergence through online academy lectures delivered by experts from Dong-A Science and Mirae Asset Securities, which helped them gain a smoother understanding during the in-person sessions.
Through this academy, the city aims to offer youth nationwide the opportunity to experience Pohang’s world-class battery ecosystem and infrastructure, and to lay the groundwork for nurturing talent who will lead the global market.
With major research institutions such as POSTECH, the Accelerator Laboratory, RIST, and the Secondary Battery Integrated Management Center concentrated in the area, Pohang possesses a strong foundation and specialized workforce to support R&D in secondary batteries. Four universities, a Meister high school, and specialized high schools in the city consistently produce outstanding talent each year, making Pohang recognized as an ideal city for next-generation secondary battery technology development and workforce training.
Mayor Lee Gangdeok stated, "To lead future advanced industries, it is crucial to foster interest and understanding in science and technology from a young age. I hope that through this academy, young people who experience Pohang’s technological capabilities and advanced infrastructure firsthand will grow into key players in the future global secondary battery industry."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
