ETRI Actively Seeking to Enter ICT Market in Europe

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on June 1 that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Belgium-based ICT research center iMinds to cultivate joint research projects and facilitate the transfer of manufacturing technology in the fields of 5G, IoT, and information security.

Since iMinds has extensive networks in Europe, the research center is expected to play a role in transferring Korean technology to Europe.

ETRI anticipates that the agreement will greatly contribute to turning jointly-developed technology into a money-making venture, in addition to serving as a business incubator for start-ups.

Cooperative measures between the two institutes were discussed at the event, including suggestions and cooperation in joint research projects with the E.U. for 5G, IoT, and information security-related technology, the introduction of techniques that each party has, facilitation of technology transfers, and the development of programs designed to support the successful global market penetration of start-ups.

In particular, both parties showed interest in mobile telecommunications, the Internet, IoT, U-health technology, and cyber security. On top of that, they decided to exchange technical information through manpower interchanges and seminars, and to cooperate in research and development as well as technology transfers.

Kim Heung-nam, president of ETRI, remarked, “I hope that it will be possible for Korean companies to enter the European market through iMinds' start-up support model.”