Cheongju: South Korea's biggest rechargeable battery research center has opened in the central city of Cheongju, with the aim of enhancing the global competitiveness of local businesses in the sector, the industry ministry announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Battery Solution Testbed Zone (BST Zone) is a facility that consolidates various infrastructures for research and testing throughout the value chain of rechargeable batteries. This includes materials, components, and cells as well as modules and all solid-state batteries, as stated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.
The facility aims to assist Korean battery companies in developing new materials by providing data on the physical and chemical properties of materials and components for secondary batteries, alongside conducting safety assessments.
Lee Seung-ryeol, deputy minister for industry policy at the ministry, stated, "With the operation of BST Zone, the special industrial complex in North Chuncheong Province will advance as a strategic hub for secondary battery development." He further added that the government will continue to expand support for companies, aiding them in achieving global competitiveness by securing high-cost testing equipment.