The country’s electronics manufacturers were quick to realize the potential of these new technologies to transform existing product categories as well as enable entirely new applications. The Korean government has also played a critical role by establishing research centers, providing funding, and working closely with domestic companies to promote commercialization. As a result, South Korea now leads the world in several printed electronics segments such as flexible displays and photovoltaics.

One major reason for South Korea’s prominence in printed electronics is the early adoption by its large electronics firms. Samsung, LG, and others saw printed electronics as a way to manufacture thinner and more flexible displays for smartphones and other consumer devices. This drove huge investments into developing new deposition processes for printing materials like organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and their associated thin-film transistor (TFT) backplanes. Korean companies have since produced the world’s first mass-manufactured flexible OLED displays and smartphones with foldable screens.

The government has strongly supported these private sector efforts through various R&D programs and initiatives. In 2008, the Ministry of Science and ICT established the Gwangju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation to conduct fundamental research into printed materials and processes. It has since grown into one of the largest printed electronics R&D hubs globally with over 500 researchers. Similarly, organizations like the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) focus on developing next-generation deposition and patterning techniques. The government has poured billions into these programs, recognizing printed electronics’ potential to stimulate economic growth and create high-tech manufacturing jobs.

‣ South Korea Emerging as Printed Electronics Leader: https://www.coherentmi.com/blog/south-korea-emerging-as-printed-electronics-leader-101