LG Electronics will use functional new materials to restore marine ecosystems. LG Electronics said it signed a business agreement on the Seaweed Forest Creation Project on Thursday with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, South Gyeongsang province and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency at LG Smart Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang province.

Under the agreement, the partners will create a seaweed forest over about 1.5 sq km of waters off Deokmyeong-ri in Goseong county, South Gyeongsang province, for 4 years from 2026 to 2029. The project will apply LG Marine Balance, a functional new material that releases mineral ions when it comes into contact with water, supplying ingredients needed for the growth of seaweed and salt marsh plants at a set amount and rate. The government, local governments and public institutions will apply the material in the waters and then observe its effects on seaweed growth and the marine environment.

Earlier, LG Electronics also signed agreements with Busan and Suncheon and is applying LG Marine Balance to about 1,500 sq metres each at the Nakdong River estuary salt marsh and the Suncheon Bay tidal flat to verify its effect on restoring coastal and marine ecosystems. It recently received a presidential commendation at the 14th Sea Tree Planting Day commemorative event in recognition of its contribution to conserving fishery resources.

LG Electronics also has proprietary technology that precisely controls the amount and rate at which mineral components are released depending on purpose and environment. It can be made in various forms, including hard beads and flat chips, to prevent mineral components from dispersing quickly.

LG Electronics is strengthening capabilities from research and development to production of glass powder-based functional materials and is fostering the related business as a B2B growth engine. It has continued research since 1996 and has secured about 420 patents related to functional materials to date. It recently added a production line with annual capacity of about 2,000 tons at its production unit in Haiphong, Vietnam, to meet demand in North America, Europe and China as well as markets in India and Southeast Asia and other parts of the global South.

Choi Seong-bong (최성봉), head of LG Electronics' Built-in/Cooking Solution Business Division, said, "We will continue to develop functional material technologies that contribute to environmental conservation and respond to the climate crisis, and expand them into B2B business opportunities."