The Pohang region R&D ecosystem

Pohang region is ranked number 87 of 392 R&D ecosystems in the 311 Institute directory, with 26 labs within about 120 kilometres: 15 research institutes, 4 government, 3 corporate, 2 military and 2 university. Leading organisations include Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences and Global Frontier Hybrid Interface Materials, focused on aerospace engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, renewable energy, sustainability and the environment and materials chemistry.

Part of the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory. Compiled by Matthew Griffin. Last updated 7 October 2026.

#87world rank

26labs

26organisations

1country

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All 26 labs

Lab and organisation	Location	Type and sector	Focus	Founded
Gumi Electronics & Information Technology Research Institute (South Korea)Gumi Electronics & Information Technology Research Institute (South Korea)	Gumi, South Korea	Corporate Industrials and manufacturing	Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Materials Chemistry	2001
Hanwha Aerospace R&DHanwha	Changwon, South Korea	Corporate Aerospace, defence and space	Engines, Defence
POSCO Technical Research LaboratoriesPOSCO	Pohang, South Korea	Corporate Chemicals and materials	Steel, Battery materials	1977
Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries TechnologyKorea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology	Busan, South Korea	Government Environment and climate	Ocean Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes	1998
National Institute of Fisheries ScienceMinistry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs	Busan, South Korea	Government Environment and climate	Immunology, Aquatic Science, Global and Planetary Change	1921
Korea Education and Research Information ServiceMinistry of Education	Daegu, South Korea	Government Technology	Information Systems, Education, Human-Computer Interaction	1999
Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial TechnologyMinistry of Trade, Industry and Energy	Daegu, South Korea	Government Aerospace, defence and space	Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment	2009
Defense Agency for Technology and QualityDefense Acquisition Program Administration	Jinju, South Korea	Military Aerospace and defence	Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Aerospace Engineering, Strategy and Management	1981
Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and AdvancementKorea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement	Jinju, South Korea	Military Multidisciplinary research	Aerospace Engineering, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Artificial Intelligence	2021
Pohang Accelerator LaboratoryPohang University of Science and Technology	Pohang, South Korea	University Industrials and manufacturing	Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment	1988
POSTECHUniversities in South Korea	Pohang, South Korea	University Multidisciplinary research	Materials, Synchrotron	1986
Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical PhysicsAsia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics	Pohang, South Korea	Research institute Nuclear	Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Statistical and Nonlinear Physics	1996
Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical SciencesDongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences	Busan, South Korea	Research institute Healthcare and life sciences	Radiation, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine	2010
Global Frontier Hybrid Interface MaterialsGlobal Frontier Hybrid Interface Materials	Busan, South Korea	Research institute Industrials and manufacturing	Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Mechanics of Materials	2013
Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension ServicesGyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services	Jinju, South Korea	Research institute Agriculture and food	Cell Biology, Soil Science, Plant Science	1908
International Tuberculosis Research CenterInternational Tuberculosis Research Center	Changwon, South Korea	Research institute Healthcare and life sciences	Infectious Diseases, Surgery, Epidemiology	2004
Korea Brain Research InstituteKorea Brain Research Institute	Daegu, South Korea	Research institute Healthcare and life sciences	Physiology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Neurology	2011
Korea Dyeing & Finishing Technology InstituteKorea Dyeing & Finishing Technology Institute	Daegu, South Korea	Research institute Industrials and manufacturing	Building and Construction, Polymers and Plastics, Mechanical Engineering
Korea Institute of Ocean Science and TechnologyKorea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology	Busan, South Korea	Research institute Environment and climate	Oceanography, Earth-Surface Processes, Ecology	1973
Korea Institute of Robot and ConvergenceKorea Institute of Robot and Convergence	Pohang, South Korea	Research institute Industrials and manufacturing	Ocean Engineering, Control and Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering	2005
Korean Institute of Footwear and Leather TechnologyKorean Institute of Footwear and Leather Technology	Busan, South Korea	Research institute Chemicals and materials	Polymers and Plastics, Mechanical Engineering, Biomaterials	1987
Max-Planck-POSTECH Center for Complex Phase MaterialMax-Planck-POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Material	Pohang, South Korea	Research institute Basic science	Condensed Matter Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Materials Chemistry	2011
Korea Marine Equipment Research InstituteMinistry of Oceans and Fisheries	Busan, South Korea	Research institute Environment and climate	Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Ocean Engineering	1994
Center for Advanced Soft ElectronicsMinistry of Science and ICT	Pohang, South Korea	Research institute Industrials and manufacturing	Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Polymers and Plastics, Materials Chemistry	2011
Occupational Safety and Health Research InstituteOccupational Safety and Health Research Institute	Ulsan, South Korea	Research institute Healthcare and life sciences	Occupational Therapy, Cancer Research, Radiological and Ultrasound Technology	1989
Research Institute of Industrial Science and TechnologyResearch Institute of Industrial Science and Technology	Pohang, South Korea	Research institute Industrials and manufacturing	Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering	1987

Countries

South Korea

Organisations

Ministry of Science and ICT

Other leading ecosystems

Questions and answers

How big is the Pohang region R&D ecosystem?

It has 26 labs from 26 organisations, ranking number 87 worldwide in the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory.

Which organisations have labs in Pohang region?

They include Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences and Global Frontier Hybrid Interface Materials.

What does the Pohang region ecosystem specialise in?

Its main focus areas are aerospace engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, renewable energy, sustainability and the environment and materials chemistry.

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