KIMS strengthens mid- to long-term cooperation with Japan's NIMS, eyes ties with US national labs

Korea Institute of Materials Science presents its research on magnetic materials at the NST–NIMS Joint Workshop. [Korea Institute of Materials Science]
Korea Institute of Materials Science presents its research on magnetic materials at the NST–NIMS Joint Workshop. [Korea Institute of Materials Science]

Korea Institute of Materials Science is working to build a trilateral research framework with the United States and Japan, focusing on future core technologies such as rare-earth-free permanent magnets and AI-driven materials design.

Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) announced Thursday that it is strengthening mid- to long-term research cooperation with Japan's National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and pursuing expanded multilateral joint research that would include US institutions.

KIMS visited NIMS in Tsukuba, Japan, on Oct. 2 to discuss mid- to long-term cooperation plans and participated in an international joint research workshop co-hosted by the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) and NIMS.

At the meeting, the two sides proposed establishing a "KIMS-NIMS Materials Gateway" — a framework designed to evolve cooperation from individual researcher-level exchanges into a sustainable, institution-level joint research system.

Under the plan, the two institutions would serve as a collaborative hub connecting the materials research ecosystems of South Korea and Japan, expanding joint research and personnel exchanges.

Priority areas for cooperation include magnetic materials, structural and extreme-environment materials, and next-generation energy materials. The two sides also plan to share research facilities and equipment and pursue collaboration integrating materials data with AI.

At the NST–NIMS joint workshop, KIMS highlighted key research areas including high-performance permanent magnets that reduce or replace rare-earth elements, AI-based magnetic materials design, and advanced ceramic manufacturing technology.

The cooperation is also expected to connect with trilateral advanced-technology joint research initiatives already underway among South Korea, the United States and Japan.

The three countries have been pursuing cooperation among their national research institutions since the Camp David summit agreement in 2023 and have been conducting joint research projects in hydrogen and climate since last year.

KIMS has also been broadening its ties with US research institutions, including discussions with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) on potential cooperation in hydrogen research.

KIMS plans to hold follow-up consultations with NIMS to identify specific joint research topics and participating researchers, and to explore the possibility of launching new international joint research projects.

"Close cooperation with world-class research institutions is essential to securing technological competitiveness in advanced materials," KIMS President Choi Cheol-jin said. "Building on our ongoing partnership with Japan's NIMS, we will expand trilateral research opportunities among South Korea, the United States and Japan, and translate global materials research cooperation into tangible results."


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com