Airbus will open a Tech Hub in Daejeon, South Korea for collaborative research and development.

Three Memoranda of Understanding have been signed to advance the project, which will focus on future energy technologies, advanced lightweight composites, and next-generation space and defence tech. The Hub will be Airbus’s fourth globally, joining others in Japan, the Netherlands, and Singapore. All four aim to leverage local intersections between the private sector, academia, and the government to drive innovation.

Airbus has a long history with its partners in South Korea, dating back to 1974. It is estimated that the company currently employs around 6,000 jobs and contributes US$600 million to the country’s economy.

Mark Bentall, Head of R&T Programme at Airbus, commented:

After five decades of successful industrial partnership with Korea, this step to launch the Airbus Tech Hub in Daejeon is a clear signal of our deepening commitment. The Tech Hub allows Airbus to tap into advanced technologies in Korea, which will help fast-track future aircraft technologies and continue to develop Korea as our trusted, long-term partner.

Exciting projects Airbus hope to advance in Daejeon include space chip antennae with LIG Nex1, as well as electromagnetic interference suppression with EMCoretech. The Tech Hub is also complemented by the Composite Technology Centre (CTC) in Busan, which will work with the Daejeon office to produce composite materials and new processes.

Source: Airbus