President Lee: "Cheongju Will Become a New Hub for Region-Led Growth" at Korea Light Source Groundbreaking

1.1643 Trillion Won Invested for Completion by End of 2029, Operations Targeted for 2030
Atomic-Level Analysis of Semiconductors, Secondary Batteries, and Advanced Materials
"The Government Will Support Future Growth Engines"

President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a state visit to Brazil, commented on the groundbreaking ceremony for the Korea Light Source (KLS), launched in Ochang, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province on July 27, stating, "It will become a world-class research infrastructure leading the future of Korea’s science and technology and advanced industries."

President Lee Jae-myung, who is on a state visit to Brazil, is presiding over a video senior secretary meeting at a hotel in Brasilia on the 26th (local time). 2026.7.27 Yonhap News

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on this day, President Lee shared the news of the groundbreaking, saying, "The Korea Light Source, which will lead the future of Korea’s science and technology and advanced industries, has bravely begun its first step today."

He went on to emphasize, "Cheongju, North Chungcheong, will emerge as a new hub spearheading local-led growth, based on the Korea Light Source, which will establish itself as world-class research infrastructure. The government will fully support this project so that the innovations and discoveries born here can blossom into future growth engines for Korea."

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) held the groundbreaking ceremony for the Korea Light Source on this day at the Ochang synchrotron accelerator site in Cheongju, with the participation of government officials, National Assembly members, local government authorities, academic and industry representatives, and local residents.

The Korea Light Source is a fourth-generation circular synchrotron accelerator utilizing synchrotron radiation generated by accelerating electrons close to the speed of light, allowing analysis of the microstructure and properties of materials at the atomic level. This 'super-scale microscope' will be used for research and process analysis across next-generation semiconductors, secondary batteries, bio, and advanced materials.

The government plans to invest a total project budget of KRW 1.1643 trillion, including KRW 964.3 billion in national funding and KRW 200 billion from local government, to build the accelerator, beamlines, and research support facilities by the end of 2029. The entire site covers 540,000 square meters, with KBSI leading the project and participation from North Chungcheong Province, Cheongju City, and the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory.

The Korea Light Source is scheduled to begin operations with 10 beamlines in 2030 and will gradually expand the number of beamlines in line with research and industrial demand. The design allows for up to 40 beamlines, making it a key national research facility supporting domestic researchers and companies in the development of advanced materials, semiconductor process analysis, and battery performance and safety research.

In a congratulatory message sent for the groundbreaking ceremony, President Lee also expressed his hope that the Korea Light Source would serve as the foundation for expanding future growth engines in the fields of next-generation semiconductors, secondary batteries, and advanced materials, and become a key hub driving innovation and local-led growth in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.