Korea to Nurture Ceramics Industry

To invest 200 bln won over 5 years to secure high-tech ceramics technologies

The government plans to tap the Korean ceramics industry with the inauguration of the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology (KICET).
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) decided to set aside 200 billion won for the next five years for investments in securing high-tech ceramics technologies for which Korea now depends on foreign imports, despite their essential role in the promising industries of the future.
The MKE unveiled a comprehensive plan to nurture the value of the Korean high-tech ceramic market to 80 trillion won by 2018 on May 5 when it inaugurated KICET. The plan calls for initially establishing the Ceramic and New Materials Industry Support Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, and the Ceramic Integrated Support center in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, as innovation clusters for the development of the Korean ceramics industry.
The plan is designed to intensively nurture 10 areas related to ceramic materials to lay a solid foundation for infrastructure of new growth engines, eight core parts for which Korea now depends on Japanese-made imports, core basic ceramic material imports and high-tech items for global outsourcing.
To this end, the government and the private sector will make joint investments to establish a technology holding corporation, said Park Ki-young, director of the Biotech & Nanotech Division at the MKE.
The MKE plans to implement diverse steps to support the Korean ceramics industry, including steps to facilitate investments in technologically-innovative venture companies and develop hub clusters in Gangneung, Mokpo and Jinju, provide support for outsourcing core technologies from abroad and foster M&As.
Figures showed that the value of the Korean ceramics market was estimated at 13 trillion won as of 2007. Korea has seen explosive growth in such IT areas as handsets and display panels, but suffered a setback as the nation's trade deficit with Japan has been worsening in the areas of Japanese-made high-tech ceramic materials and core parts imports.
KICET President Kim Kyung-hoe said in a ceremony to inaugurate the KICET, "We'll strive to evolve into an advanced institution by conducting diverse projects, including the establishment of a government-private sector technology holding company and by facilitating investments in technology-intensive venture companies." He added that KICET will work out a detailed plan to provide support to the Korean ceramics industry including the linkage of hub clusters in Gangneung, Mokpo and Jinju and outsourcing core technologies from abroad. nw

Celebrities, including Vice Minister for Industry and Technology Rim Chemin, KICET President Kim Kyung-hoe, and Rep. Huh Moon-doh cut the tape to inaugurate the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology (KICET).