Universities and research institutions gathered together to establish the ‘Gwangju and Jeonnam Support Group for Materials & Parts Technologies’ to respond to rising public concerns on the necessity of self-sufficiency following Japan’s exportation regulation pertaining to certain high-tech components.

According to CNU, it attended the consortium meeting of eight universities and four governmental research institutions for technological support for material and parts industries in Gwangju and Jeonnam in the Grand Conference Hall of the Headquarters Building on October 2. The participants promised to help regional industries by providing one-stop services such as technical advice, the sharing of university-owned facilities, and legal consultation for small and medium-sized enterprises to enhance the capacity for stability in the supply and production of parts and materials.

The services of the Support Group is in seven different categories of related fields that became subject to Japanese export regulations and expert consultation to solve difficulties of the companies. The areas are as follows: ▲ semiconductors ▲ machinery and metals (steel, shipbuilding, and robotics) ▲ automobiles ▲ electricity and electronics (information and communication) ▲ chemical materials (textiles) ▲ displays ▲ professional advisory group specialized in exportation, management, relevant law, and intellectual property rights.

In addition, universities will share their resources of cutting-edge technology, research facilities, and professional manpower for enhancing the R&D environment of regional small and medium-sized companies, as well as various other services in cooperation with the CNU Infrastructure Utilization Support Center, Legal clinic (law school), and Technology Management Center (technical management) of CNU.

For enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, the Support Group selected CNU as the comprehensive center for enquiries. Therefore, CNU will receive requests from companies, support the whole process from connecting consultations with the companies and gather analytic feedback for technical guidance.

If demand persists, the Gwangju and Jeonnam Support Group for Materials & Parts Technologies plans not only to extend the operating period, but also to establish governance for an expanded area to encompass Honam and Jeju. In addition, if necessary, it will request governmental support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, and Ministry of SMEs, and Startups.

President Jeong said, “The Gwangju and Jeonnam Support Group for Materials & Parts Technologies was founded to ensure the swift bridging of the technology gap in these fields with Japan and to accelerate the localization of items that are excluded from Japan’s white list. It will be a strong basis for the independence of local industries with stability and self-sufficiency in technology.”