Lotte and KAIST inaugurate joint R&D hub for bio-sustainability and green tech

A collaborative research and development center jointly funded by Lotte Group and KAIST opened on the university’s Daejeon campus. The seven-storey building, covering roughly 4,300 square metres, was built with a 10 billion-won donation from Lotte and additional KAIST contributions. At the opening, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin and KAIST President Bae Choong-sik highlighted the aim of linking academic research with practical industry applications, emphasizing the role of artificial intelligence throughout the process.

The center will focus on three priority areas: bio-sustainability to replace fossil fuels, carbon-neutral energy technologies such as green hydrogen, and advanced food and healthcare innovations. The partnership builds on a decade-long collaboration that began in 2012 and includes the earlier Lotte Chemical-KAIST Carbon Neutral Research Center established in 2022.