Korea Zinc Co. is set to gain national core technology status for its hematite process under a proposed government revision. The process allows the efficient removal of impurities from zinc oxide concentrate to produce high-purity zinc.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced Tuesday that it will begin a public notice period for the proposed revision to the list of designated national core technologies starting Wednesday.

The proposed revision includes Korea Zinc’s hematite process, along with multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) design/process/manufacturing technology and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload development and signal processing technology.

The government reportedly considered each technology’s complexity and strategic value in drafting the revision.

As for the hematite process, the ministry cited its “economic and environmental excellence and the national security need to reduce foreign dependence” as grounds for the designation.

However, Korea Zinc’s other application for antimony production technology was not granted a designation. The technology, which uses diaphragm electrolysis to reduce air pollutant emissions during metal production, was submitted in November along with the hematite process.

Korea Zinc’s push for national core technology status is widely seen as a strategy to block the attempted spin-off and sale of the company amid an ongoing management dispute with Young Poong Group and MBK Partners.

Any foreign acquisition of a domestic company holding national core technologies requires government approval.

The proposed revision will be finalized following public consultation and regulatory review. The government regularly designates, updates, or removes national core technologies deemed vital to national security and the broader economy.

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