The following are the results of the 2022 research by major South Korean research institutes. They are attracting attention from domestic and foreign scientific circles as an encouraging achievement to promote research and development by linking global networks.
Quantum Communication: Development of core technology for commercialization of quantum cryptography communicationㅡExperimental verification of 'TF QKD Network'
KIST has implemented the world's first twin-field (TF) protocol-based star structure quantum cryptography communication network system. This method is a technology that enables practical 1:N (one-to-one) quantum cryptography communication that allows any user to efficiently transmit information through the node in the center. The researchers demonstrated this technology and transferred the technology to a company specializing in quantum cryptography to commercialize it in the field of long-distance quantum cryptography networks
Battery Technology: Rubber-type solid electrolyte enables the world's highest performance solid state battery
A research team led by Professor Kim Bum-joon of KAIST's Department of Biochemical Engineering developed a new concept of elastomeric polymer electrolyte through joint research with Professor Lee Seung-woo of Georgia Tech in the U.S. and implemented the world's best solid state battery. The study was published on January 13 in the international journal Nature (the Elastomeric electrolytes for high-energy solid-state lithium batteries).
Supernova Observation: Capturing light within 1 hour of a supernova explosionㅡInvestigating the supernova explosion process
The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute presented observational evidence explaining how the extraterrestrial planet search system (KMTNet/ Korea Microlensing Telescope Network) captures light within an hour of supernova explosion and explodes.
Type Ia supernovae have a very constant maximum brightness when exploded, so they are used as a standard light source for measuring distances in the universe, and are essential astronomical objects for studying the origin of heavy elements such as iron and the death of stars. However, the process by which Type Ia supernovae explode has not yet been elucidated.
Nonconductor Storage Technology: Development of the world's first nonconductor information storage technology
Professor Oh Yoon-seok of the Department of Physics at UNIST and Professor Kim Tae-heon of the Department of Physics at Ulsan University have developed the world's first technology to store information using a dielectric (nonconductor), not a semiconductor. This technology can store more information than memory made of semiconductors by controlling the minimum space that humans can create. When the dielectric constant is used for memory information, energy efficiency is higher than that of a semiconductor memory using a resistor, and a memory device without heat generation may be generated.
Artificial Sun: Start replacement of KSTAR ‘divutter’, aim for ‘control of 100 million degrees for 300 seconds’ in 2026
The Nuclear Fusion Research Institute replaces its core component "Diverter" (Heat Discharger) with tungsten material. It has moved one step closer to preparing to control the output of 100 million-degree plasma (the fourth state beyond solid, liquid, and gas) 24 hours a day for nuclear fusion power generation. The current carbon material diverter is limited to 100 million ℃ plasma control for up to 30 seconds. To further increase the control time, the diverter must be made of tungsten, a metal that is resistant to heat and plasma erosion.
Customized Cancer Treatment: Successful leukemia treatment with the first self-produced CAR-T treatment in Korea
Seoul National University Hospital succeeded in treating 18-year-old children with leukemia by administering its own CAR-T treatment for the first time among hospitals in Korea. CAR-T treatment is a customized treatment that allows immune cells (T cells) obtained from the patient's blood to recognize cancer well, undergo gene manipulation, culture it, and put it back into the patient's body. It is attracting attention as an innovative and up-to-date treatment by minimizing damage to normal cells in the body while immune cells accurately target only cancer cells.
Quantum Algorithm: Development of world-class quantum algorithm that can solve the 'linear noise problem'
Researchers at home and abroad, including the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), have found a methodology that can target quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC). Although the 'perfect cryptosystem image' of quantum resistant cryptography has faded somewhat, this research is expected to present a major turning point in related academia and industry, such as quantum computers, mathematics, and cryptography.
Next-Generation Optical Device: 'Control of Quantum Material Properties' Implementation of Next Generation Optical Device Technology for the First Time in the World
South Korean researchers have implemented the world's first next-generation optical device technology that can control the electrical and magnetic properties of quantum materials. The results of this study were published in Nature, an international academic journal, and the research team confirmed through experiments that the optical properties of the material changed significantly by applying strong light (>109 V/m), an insulator with a honeycomb-shaped planar structure.
Electric Vehicle Charging Technology: Development of an electric vehicle multi-fast charging system, halving charging time
Hyundai Motor's E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) is a technology that captures both driving distance and charging time, which are the core competitiveness of electric vehicles. Until now, it was necessary to increase the battery capacity to increase the mileage of electric vehicles, and to this end, it took a long time to charge if the battery capacity was increased. Hyundai has developed a high-efficiency motor system to solve this problem.
Climate Change and Human Evolution: Development of Climate Model Simulation, Investigation of the Relationship between Human Evolution
A team of researchers from the Institute of Basic Science and the Climate Physics Research Group worked with Swiss researchers to find out the link between climate change and human evolution. The research results were created using the supercomputer "Aleph" owned by the Institute of Basic Science and were published on April 14 in Nature, the world's most prestigious academic journal.
Digital Conversion: Development of logistics automation system and simultaneous control of 1,000 automatic transportation equipment
Professor Jang Young-jae of KAIST's Department of Industrial Systems Engineering has developed a logistics automation system necessary for high-tech manufacturing sites such as semiconductor and secondary battery manufacturing through a digital twin virtual environment. This is a technology that can control up to 1,000 OHTs at the same time.
Microplastic: Converts microplastics into high value-added compounds with sunlight and electricity
Professor Park Chan-beom's research team at KAIST succeeded in converting microplastics into chemical fuels using sunlight and electrical energy and combining microplastics upcycling and biocatalytic reactions to create various high-value compounds through cooperation with Professor Frank Holman's team at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). The study was published in the cover paper of the October issue of the international academic journal Nature Synthesis.
Korea Development COVID-19 Vaccine: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approves the sale of the COVID-19 vaccine "Sky Kobe One."
SK Bioscience's SKYCOB1 has been approved to market as a domestic COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, it has become the third country to have both its own COVID-19 treatments and vaccines after the United States and the United Kingdom. In Korea, the vaccine can be used to prevent COVID-19 in adults over the age of 18.
Next Generation Actuator: Development of soft robot actuator imitating plant roots
Researchers in Korea have developed a soft robot driving device that breaks even 2cm thick bricks with soft materials based on the structure of plants that withstand enormous pressure. A research team led by Professor Sun Sun-yoon of Seoul National University's Department of Materials Engineering and Professor Kim Ho-young of the Department of Mechanical Engineering said it has developed a soft gel actuator (drive device) that can break even bricks in a short time and published it in the international journal Science.
Atomic Nucleus Observation: Atomic nucleus observation with 4 neutrons‥Provide the possibility of the existence of a 'tetra neutron nucleus'
An international joint research team consisting of Germany's Darmstadt Institute of Technology, Japan's Institute of Science and Chemistry, and the Institute of Basic Science has confirmed evidence of a nucleus made of only four neutrons called "tetra neutrons." The existence of protonless nuclei has been presented theoretically, but has never been clearly observed experimentally, making it an unsolved challenge in the field of nuclear physics research for 60 years.
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Black Hole: Successfully captured a supermassive black hole video in the center of our galaxy
The Korea Astronomical Research Institute captured a supermassive black hole Sagittarius (SgrA) image located in the center of our galaxy with international collaborators who participated in the EHT (Event Horizon Telescope). The Sagittarius A black hole, which was discovered this time, is the second black hole taken by the EHT team after the M87. Sagittarius A Black Hole, located in the center of our galaxy, is about 27,000 light years away from Earth and has a mass about 4 million times larger than the Sun. The distance from the solar system is about one-thousandth of that of the M87 black hole, making it a strong target for black hole research.
Development of Supersonic Aircraft: Successful test flight of South Korea’s first supersonic fighter ‘KF 21 Boramae’
South Korean supersonic fighter, the KF-21 'Boramae', has successfully completed a test flight. Following the success of the initial test flight of unit 1 for area expansion test in July, it was announced that the first flight of prototype unit 2 for structural test was successful on November 10. In the future, KF-21 will conduct flight tests with two aircraft following the successful flight of Unit 2 for structural testing, and prototypes 3 to 6 will begin sequential flight tests from the end of this year to the first half of next year as soon as they are ready for ground tests and flight tests.
The KF-21 is a 4.5-generation fighter that is being jointly developed by Korea and Indonesia under the supervision of KAI, and development began in 2016. South Korea is the eighth country and region to have succeeded in developing more than 4.5 generations of advanced supersonic fighter jets in the world after the U.S., Russia, China, Japan, France, Sweden, and the European consortium (UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain).
For reference, prototype 2 is painted in a slightly darker color than prototype 1 on the fuselage, and the vertical tail wing is also painted yellow on a black background. In order to review the paint suitable for the fighters to be mass-produced in the future, different paints (fuselage and vertical tail) were applied to the prototype Korean fighter jets.
