The government and industry are accelerating the technological independence and value enhancement of the ceramics industry, a key material used in advanced sectors such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and defense.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it held the 12th "Ceramics Day" event on September 30 at COEX in Seoul, attended by over 100 representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions.
Ceramics Day has been celebrated since 2015 to commemorate the establishment of the Ceramic Promotion Fund at the Masan Ceramic Testing Institute in 1969. This year, a total of 26 awards were presented to individuals and companies that contributed to the development of the ceramics industry, including 14 awards from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Wi Sang-wook, a team leader at Mico, was recognized for his contributions to the localization of high-performance silicon nitride powder, which had been entirely dependent on imports from Japan. Silicon nitride is a high-function ceramic material used in semiconductor processes and other advanced industries.
Kang Hyun-min, an executive at KCC Glass, was acknowledged for achieving a 20% reduction in production costs through the establishment of a large-scale glass production line capable of producing 1,200 tons per day and a molding technology with a width of 4,900 mm. Kim Seung-il, CEO of YJC, received high praise for developing refractory ceramics for the semiconductor, battery, and defense sectors, as well as achieving $10 million in export performance.
Last December, the government established a ceramics R&D roadmap, committing to support approximately 100 billion won by 2030. This initiative targets 46 key projects across 12 sectors, including AI, semiconductors, displays, defense, aerospace, secondary batteries, and advanced bio.
Song Hyun-joo, Director of Supply Chain Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "Ceramics are a key material that determines the competitiveness of advanced industries, including semiconductors and secondary batteries. The government will support the enhancement of the ceramics industry's competitiveness based on the ceramics R&D roadmap, focusing on the advancement of core technologies, the transition to manufacturing AI, and carbon neutrality."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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