Seoul, Nov 18 – South Korea has finished building the world’s first commercial plant that mass‑produces graphene films by chemical‑vapour deposition (CVD). The new facility, owned by local firm Graphene Square Inc., opened in the steel‑city of Pohang after a completion ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MITR).
Graphene films are a single‑atom‑thick layer of carbon that is flexible, transparent, and an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. They’re used in everything from bendable displays and wearables to high‑performance batteries. By putting a large‑scale production line in Pohang, the ministry hopes the region can tap into a new tech industry and move beyond its steel legacy.
“Graphene is a key material that will determine the competitiveness of advanced industries,” said a MITR official at the launch. The ministry said it will introduce measures to support the growth of the domestic graphene market.
At the same time, Seoul’s trade officials met with EU representatives to discuss the European Union’s new steel safeguard plan. The EU is set to cut tariff‑free quotas by 47 % and raise tariffs on excess imports from 25 % to 50 %. Korea, a trusted partner of the EU in tackling steel oversupply, urged the EU to find a solution that protects Korean firms from potential damages.
The meeting was part of the 13th Committee on Trade in Goods, a forum that began after the Korea‑EU free trade agreement went into effect in 2011. The discussion comes amid a broader push by both sides to counter the rise of global trade protectionism.
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