This image provided by Hyundai Heavy Industries Group shows its R&D center to be built in Pangyo, south of Seoul.
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — As global shipbuilding trends are shifting towards a focus on technology, including self-driving ships, Korean shipbuilders are opening a string of research and development (R&D) centers in Pangyo, a district in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
Pangyo is often cited as a Korean version of Silicon Valley.
Shipbuilding conglomerate Hyundai Heavy Industries Group is building a global R&D center with 19 above-ground floors in Pangyo.
The R&D center is scheduled to be completed in the latter half of this year. About 5,000 R&D employees from the group’s seven affiliates are expected to work at the new center.
About 5,000 R&D employees from the group’s seven affiliates are expected to work at the new center.
Samsung Heavy Industries Co. also relocated its headquarters to Pangyo after building an R&D center at Pangyo Techno Valley, a startup cluster, in 2014.
Samsung Heavy’s R&D Center focuses on researching eco-friendly energy, including ammonia fuel supply systems and liquefied hydrogen-fueled ships.
Pangyo, which is adjacent to Seoul, is assessed as having an ample R&D pool since not only major IT companies such as Naver Corp. but also investment firms and ICT companies are clustered there.
Another factor behind the shipyards’ latest move is that young job seekers prefer to work in metropolitan areas.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
