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Pure Domestic Technology Gains Fresh Momentum
K-water builds the foundation for verification and certification of ultra-pure water technology
K-water supplied the first ultra-pure water produced with domestic technology to a wafer-manufacturing plant in December 2024.
K-water also signed a tripartite cooperation agreement for the joint development of a verification and certification system for ultra-pure water;
thus further accelerating its efforts to strengthen its competitive edge in ultra-pure water production.
📝Text bt. Editorial Team / 💾Source. K-water
Multiple Organizations Join Hands for Korea’s Greater Competitiveness in the Global Market
K-water, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Korea Institute for Water Technology Certification (KIWATEC) signed an agreement on February 4 for the establishment of foundation for verification and certification of ultra-pure water technology. The purpose of the agreement is to improve the quality of and confidence in domestically produced ultra-pure water thereby raising Korea’s competitiveness in the global market.
As an essential material used in semiconductor production, ultra-pure water is considered the water of life in hi-tech industries. However, the ultra-pure water production process consists of at least 20 advanced-level steps, making it extremely difficult to produce. Previously, some countries in Europe, US, and Japan have monopolized the ultra-pure water technology from the design, construction, and operation of plants to technology to produce materials and equipment. Domestically developed ultra-pure water production technology is ready for commercial use, but there is no Korean certification organization to certify the technology so it needs to be certified overseas. As a result, K-water finds it hard to expedite the overseas sale of the technology.
Under the agreement, the three organizations will work together on quality analysis and evaluation, technology development, measuring technology standardization, and policy development by taking full advantage of their respective expertise and knowhow.
K-water Taps into the Global Water Market with High-Quality Ultra-Pure Water
K-water has been running its own lab to analyze the concentration levels of trace amounts of metals and ions that remain in water in order to develop ultra-pure water analysis and evaluation technology. K-water plans to expand the lab into an integrated ultra-pure water analysis center in Sejong City by 2030 and enhance the technology such that it can analyze infinitesimal amounts. The agreement will also help build the foundation for securing the quality of domestic ultra-pure water; thus providing fresh impetus for business expansion in overseas markets with high entry barriers.
“The agreement marks the first step in establishing standards as well as a certification scheme to bring our ultra-pure water technology on a par with global standards. Our focus will be on creating an ecosystem for self-sufficiency from production to certification of ultra-pure water, and making our ultra-pure water globally competitive," President Yun Seog-dae said.
