Hanwha Ocean among 5 firms named 3rd-generation 'Super Eul' companies

Hanwha Ocean, Sunic System and three other companies have been named third-generation "Super Eul" firms. The Super Eul project is a flagship large-scale research and development program aimed at nurturing key materials, parts and equipment companies capable of leading global supply chains through world-first or world-best technologies.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also approved five new cooperation models in the materials, parts and equipment sector, including a next-generation glass package substrate.

The ministry held the 16th Materials, Parts and Equipment Competitiveness Committee on Thursday at the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) in Jongno-gu, Seoul, deliberating and approving three agenda items: approval of new cooperation models, the results of the third-generation Super Eul selection, and the 2026 materials, parts and equipment implementation plan.

Companies selected for the Super Eul project go through a four-stage evaluation process — covering a concept proposal, technology verification, presentation review and comprehensive assessment — based on their proposed growth strategies and technology development plans. Each selected company receives large-scale R&D support of 20 billion won ($14 million) per project over seven or more years.

The first generation included Jusung Engineering (atomic layer deposition equipment), KCC (high-durability encapsulants) and Techcross (high-efficiency low-temperature water electrolysis). The second generation comprised Amotech (multilayer ceramic capacitors), Hwashin (dissimilar-material suspension systems) and Seah Changwon Specialty Steel (high-strength fastening components).

Through the Super Eul project, the ministry plans to cultivate 15 global supply chain core companies by 2030, securing a decisive technological edge and leading global markets.

The cooperation model framework is a demand-supply company partnership system that bundles R&D support with regulatory exemptions, policy financing and other commercialization tools to accelerate self-sufficiency in key strategic technologies. Each approved cooperation model receives a cross-ministry package over five years totaling 91 billion won in R&D funding, along with regulatory benefits such as a chemical substance licensing fast track, financial and tax incentives, and demonstration and evaluation support.

Building on the existing general cooperation model — which supported vertical collaboration between demand and supply companies and horizontal collaboration among demand companies — the ministry this year added two new types: an "ecosystem completion" model in which anchor companies directly design the domestic ecosystem, and a "region-led" model aimed at strengthening cluster functions within specialized complexes and generating synergies across inter-regional specialized complexes. The framework now covers three cooperation model types.

At Thursday's committee meeting, two ecosystem-completion models were selected — a next-generation glass package substrate and a 1,000-watt EUV pellicle. Three additional models were also approved: a factory-customized mobility platform under the inter-regional cooperation model, and a domestically produced system-on-chip for vehicle infotainment and ultra-high-performance porous carbon for energy applications under the general cooperation model.

The five companies named as third-generation Super Eul firms are Hanwha Ocean (core fuel cell equipment for submarines), Sunic System (AI-based autonomous OLED deposition equipment), EO Technics (ultra-high-speed laser heat treatment equipment), Ecopro BM (sulfide-based solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries) and Doosan Electronics Business (low-loss materials and antenna modules for satellite communications).

The ministry also finalized the 2026 materials, parts and equipment competitiveness implementation plan, which lays out detailed action plans for carrying out the basic competitiveness strengthening plan for the sector covering 2026 to 2030, announced last October.

As a priority, the ministry will establish a core strategic technology roadmap by the second half of this year to define R&D investment directions by technology area, and will revamp the current list of 200 core strategic technologies accordingly. The ministry plans to upgrade the framework by adding new technologies centered on AI, advanced materials and other future-oriented, high-impact innovation areas, while removing technologies where self-sufficiency has already been achieved.

To ensure that developed technologies move quickly from the laboratory to industrial application, the ministry will expand AI- and digital-based demonstration and commercialization support. Plans include building an advanced materials demonstration infrastructure using robot-based automated testing environments and introducing a digital twin-based testing platform to verify performance in virtual space before deployment on production lines — upgrading existing development and evaluation methods to improve commercialization prospects.

Support linked to pan-government policy directions will also be expanded to strengthen the materials, parts and equipment industrial ecosystem. The ministry plans to select third-generation specialized complexes within this year, taking into account national balanced development and industrial transformation goals including the Five Poles Three Specials initiative and the Manufacturing AI Transformation program.

Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak said the ministry would "continue to nurture materials, parts and equipment companies that remain resilient amid global supply chain realignments, and strengthen the fundamental competitiveness of the sector through cooperation models that reflect the diverse collaboration needs of both demand and supply companies."