Next-Generation Technology Competition Heats Up
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), celebrating its 50th anniversary, has fully entered the next-generation technology competition by announcing specific plans for the future 50 years that will lead the artificial intelligence (AI) era. ETRI held a commemorative ceremony on the 1st at the auditorium of its headquarters in Daejeon, attended by officials from the Ministry of Science and ICT and former heads of the institute. The event was also organized to jointly commemorate the 40th anniversary of the development of the Automatic Electronic Exchange (TDX), a symbol of South Korea's telecommunications self-reliance.
According to an analysis of the ripple effects of research achievements announced that day, ETRI's economic value to domestic industries over the past 50 years has been estimated at approximately 494 trillion won. This figure, nearing South Korea's annual national budget, includes 316 trillion won in direct effects on industries from core technologies and an additional 178 trillion won in ripple effects on other sectors. The establishment of the 'one household, one telephone' era with the TDX-1 service, the conquest of the global semiconductor market with DRAM memory, and the foundation of a mobile communications powerhouse through CDMA commercialization are cited as the 'three major revolutions'.
The 'ETRI Researcher of the Year Award,' the highest honor, was presented to Senior Researcher Kim Hye-jin. Researcher Kim developed the world's first '360-degree omnidirectional tactile sensor' capable of being mounted on robotic fingers, enabling precise control of robot hand systems. This achievement resulted in four technology transfers and 1.7 billion won in sales. Former Minister of Information and Communication Yang Seung-taek and other past ETRI presidents were awarded special commendation prizes.
ETRI has put forth 'expansion' and 'convergence' as the core keywords for its next 50 years. The plan is to extend mobile communication technology from land to sky and space to secure leadership in the 6G era, and to advance hyper-speed road technologies to build next-generation infrastructure covering land, sea, and air. The institute also plans to concentrate its research capabilities on 'Physical AI' that coexists with humans and 'Ultra-Realistic Spatial Convergence' technology that bridges virtual and real worlds.
Efforts to share research achievements with the public have also been concretized. A state-of-the-art ICT promotion hall will be established within the 'Majungmul Plaza' currently under construction, with plans to open its doors to the general public from early next year to experience ETRI's innovative achievements firsthand.
ETRI President Bang Seung-chan stated, 'Over the past 50 years, we have forged a path where no one has gone before, laying the foundation for the national economy.' He added, 'For the next half-century, we will dedicate ourselves to making South Korea the protagonist of the technology hegemony era through advanced technologies that benefit humanity's lives.'