Chungcheongbuk-do

- It’s time to have fun with radio waves in Cheongju, Chungbuk! - On the 13th, Chungcheongbuk-do held an opening ceremony for the “Radio Wave Playground - Chungbuk” at the Ochang Campus in Chungbuk National University (Ochang-eup, Cheongju-si). "Radio Wave Playground - Chungbuk" is a project selected by forming a consultative group between the Chungcheongbuk-do government, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk National University, and Chungbuk Technopark, which won the public contest in 2022 for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s “Regional Hub RF Playground Establishment and Operation Contest,” receiving a funding of KRW 12.7 billion. Around 100 relevant individuals from the government, industry, universities, research institutes, and companies joined the event, including Jeong Seon-yong, Chungcheongbuk-do’s Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs, Kim Kyung-woo, Head of the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Radio Policy Planning Division, Lee Ok-gyu, a member of the Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Council, Shin Byoung-dae, Vice Mayor of Cheongju-si, Park Yu-sik, Head of the Office of Administration of Chungbuk National University, Yun Dae-sik, Executive Director of LG Electronics, Song Jeong-su, Vice President of Korean Radio Promotion Association, and Oh Won-geun, Director of Chungbuk Technopark. "Radio Wave Playground - Chungbuk"’s design was initiated in 2022, and the approval for its construction was gained in March this year as a massive radio wave shielding facility that can prevent damage or disruption due to external radio waves and support radio frequency tests for various convergence equipment. The facility comprises test grounds (1,345 ㎡) to run radio frequency characteristics tests and analyses necessary to release products that utilize radio waves, such as autonomous vehicles, which are the central area’s main industry, urban air mobility (UAM), drone detection sensors, and radars, as well as a support area (578 ㎡). Since April, the project has been conducting various radio frequency demonstrations requested by local companies. This involves examining the normal operation of radio frequency performance verification equipment and recruiting specialized personnel with rich experiences in research and development. In particular, "Radio Wave Playground - Chungbuk" is Korea’s largest facility in terms of its relevant field and the country’s only indoor RF test ground capable of testing radio waves within a 30-meter distance. It is equipped with various pieces of gear, including a radar target simulator, signal generator, spectrum analyzer, and network analyzer. Companies or research institutes hoping to use the facility can apply via phone by contacting the operation manager of "Radio Wave Playground - Chungbuk" (043-241-0133). The default period of use for five days is provided upon following relevant procedures. Chungcheongbuk-do’s vice governor, Jeong Seon-yong, commented, “We will make efforts to provide an environment where local SMEs and medium-sized companies can freely play with radio waves and offer links to regional infrastructure, such as the autonomous vehicle testbed (C-track) and the Chungju Radio Waves Center for Transportation Machine Parts, to establish a radio wave industry ecosystem.”