The World On arirang

Secondary batteries are a must in operating electrical appliances such as smartphones, tabletPCs, and electric vehicles. The battery industry is known as second semiconductors and is in the limelight as a future growth engine. Several Korean conglomerates manufacture lithium-ion batteries and achieved global competitiveness but we are still heavily dependant on Japan for the core components needed to manufacture secondary batteries. Due to Japan's trade export regulations, the battery industry is focusing on the importance of independent technology and material development. South Korea is heavily reliant on foreign companies for core components needed to make batteries so on this week's "#Korea 4.0," we take a look at companies which localize such core components. We sit down with professor Park Chul-wan, a battery expert and take an in depth look at the tasks at hand for Korean companies to dominate the global battery market.