Airbus has unveiled the construction of its first dedicated research and development center in South Korea, reinforcing its footprint within the country’s expanding aerospace innovation district.
The “Tech Hub,” to be established in Daejeon, becomes part of a network of Airbus sites already operating in Japan, the Netherlands, and Singapore, and will focus on work in clean-energy propulsion, composite materials, and emerging defense and space systems.
In support of the upcoming center, Airbus signed cooperation agreements with the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, the Korea International Trade Association, and Daejeon City’s local government to set research priorities and identify essential industry partners.
Initial work at the Tech Hub includes a project with defense contractor LIG Nex1 on chip-antenna systems for small satellites.
A separate collaboration with EMCoretech will focus on reducing electromagnetic interference in electric-power systems, an area Airbus said is becoming increasingly critical as the industry advances toward hybrid and fully electric aircraft.
Extending Cooperation
Airbus said that the new facility’s launch builds on its longstanding partnership with Seoul, starting in 1974 with Korean Air’s A300B4 aircraft order.
The East Asian country now supports Airbus across commercial, defense, space, and helicopter programs, producing key components for the A320, A330, and A350 families and sustaining roughly 6,000 jobs with $600 million in annual economic output.
“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,” said Mark Bentall, research and technology head at Airbus.
“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.”
