LIG Nex1 will be the first owner of the Saemangeum verification testbed. The ‘Saemangeum Civil-Military Dual-Use Verification Testbed Creation’ project, which aims to transform Saemangeum into a testing ground for the future defense industry of the Republic of Korea, is expected to gain further momentum with the participation of LIG Nex1, a leading domestic defense company.
On the 23rd, the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province signed a business agreement for the establishment of a Saemangeum civilian-military dual-use testbed at the LIG Nex1 Pangyo House R&D Center. The business agreement was attended by Governor Kim Kwan-young, Saemangeum Development Agency Director Kim Kyeong-an, Buan County Mayor Kwon Ik-hyeon, Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL) Director Song Jun-kwang, and LIG Nex1 President Shin Ik-hyeon.
The purpose of this business agreement is to secure testing and verification capabilities in the Saemangeum project area for future cutting-edge technology development, while also establishing a cooperative system through technology exchange between the civilian and military.
Accordingly, the Jeonbuk Autonomous Province, Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency, Buan-gun, Korea Testing Laboratory, and LIG Nex1 have agreed to pursue various cooperative measures, including △promoting research and development and establishing a related certification system based on civilian-military technology exchange, △utilizing the test bed and establishing related research facilities in conjunction with advanced technology research and development, △providing land development and related administrative support for smooth project promotion, etc.
Based on this agreement, each contracting organization agreed to cooperate closely, including by providing temporary support for the use of the Saemangeum Buan entrance site so that LIG Nex1 and others can begin preliminary drone verification tests.
In relation to this, while the demand for demonstration of cutting-edge industries such as drones, UAM, AI autonomous driving, and unmanned complex systems has been rapidly increasing, there is no suitable site to accommodate them, and Saemangeum is emerging as the optimal site for land-sea-air complex demonstrations.
The Jeonbuk Autonomous Province expects that this agreement will not only be an important first step toward developing the Saemangeum region into a center for advanced technology verification, but will also greatly contribute to establishing an advanced technology certification system for the Saemangeum area, as the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL), which participated in this agreement, is the only public comprehensive testing and certification institute in Korea.
Korea Testing Laboratory is carrying out tasks such as establishing a test evaluation platform, supporting test certification evaluation, and consulting on related technology development.
Based on this business agreement, Jeonbuk Autonomous Province plans to actively secure test bed demand and attract related key companies and organizations to accelerate the construction of test beds that can be utilized by both the public and the military.
In addition, the plan is to foster the defense industry as a strategic industry of Jeollabuk-do Province by establishing a defense industry and related enterprise/organization cluster through the construction of the Saemangeum civilian-military dual-use test bed and by establishing a Jeollabuk-do specialized defense innovation cluster in conjunction with the region’s main industries.
Jeonbuk Autonomous Province Governor Kim Kwan-young said, “I expect that many organizations and companies will take a keen interest in the Saemangeum verification test bed through this agreement,” and added, “We will do our best to help revitalize the local economy by securing additional verification demand from national research institutes and attracting related companies and organizations.”
Queen Choi Ha Na Reporter
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2024-08-23 17:31:38