Construction of world's 1st CVD graphene film plant completed in S. Korea

Seoul, Nov 18 The construction of the world's first mass production facility for chemical vapour deposition (CVD) graphene film, a key component used in advanced electronics and batteries, has been completed in South Korea, the industry ministry said on Tuesday.

A completion ceremony for the plant owned by Graphene Square Inc., a domestic graphene film manufacturer, was held in the country's southeastern city of Pohang, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, reports Yonhap news agency.

A graphene film is an ultrathin, continuous layer used in flexible displays, wearable electronics and advanced batteries, and known for its flexibility, transparency and high-quality electrical and thermal conductivity.

The plant is expected to help Pohang, a South Korean steel industry hub about 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, find new growth engines for the region, the ministry said.

"Graphene is a key material that will determine the competitiveness of advanced industries," a ministry official said, while pledging to introduce measures to foster growth of the industry.

Meanwhile, South Korea called for the European Union's efforts to protect Korean companies in the latest round of their free trade agreement (FTA) committee meeting amid the EU's plan to implement stronger steel safeguard measures.

The two sides held the 13th Committee on Trade in Goods meeting in Seoul to discuss tariff and non-tariff issues amid the recent spread of global trade protectionism, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The committee was established after the bilateral FTA between Korea and EU took effect in 2011.

In the meeting, Seoul urged the EU to devise a "favorable" solution to potential damages Korean firms may face under its new steel protection plan, stressing that Korea is a "trusted" partner of the EU in resolving the global steel oversupply.

Earlier this year, the European Commission announced plans to reduce tariff-free quotas on foreign steel by 47 percent and hike tariffs on imports exceeding the quota from the current 25 percent to 50 percent, citing the need to protect the EU steel industry.

The proposal is expected to replace the EU's current steel safeguard measures, which are set to expire in June 2026.

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