LG Electronics, in collaboration with Suncheon City and Seoul National University's Blue Carbon Project Group, will utilize the new functional material "Marine Glass" to restore the Suncheon Bay tidal flat ecosystem and expand its blue carbon sink. The goal is to apply the material, which promotes the growth of marine life, to the field to verify its effectiveness and explore the potential of establishing a long-term ecosystem management model.

LG Electronics announced on the 11th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Suncheon City and Seoul National University's Blue Carbon Business Unit at Suncheon City Hall in South Jeolla Province to "create a blue carbon ecosystem and jointly implement carbon neutrality." The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Young-seok, Head of HS Functional Materials Business at LG Electronics, and Suncheon Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu.

Under this agreement, LG Electronics will conduct a demonstration project to apply marine glass to approximately 1,500 square meters of the Suncheon Bay tidal flats, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to verify the growth and carbon absorption efficiency of salt-loving plants. The participating organizations will jointly pursue carbon neutrality through the creation and preservation of a blue carbon ecosystem.

Marine glass is a functional glass material that changes into mineral ions when it comes into contact with water, and is characterized by supplying minerals necessary for seaweed and halophytes at a constant amount and speed. LG Electronics explained that it has secured technology to precisely control the release of mineral components according to the intended use. It also suggested that the product could be manufactured in beads or chip form for use in areas with fast-flowing water.

LG Electronics previously conducted similar demonstrations in Busan and the salt marshes of the Nakdong River estuary late last year. With the Suncheon Bay application as a catalyst, the company plans to continue its research and development of new materials. It also plans to expand its portfolio with products such as "Purotech," a glass powder-based antibacterial material, and "Mineral Wash," a functional laundry material, and foster its B2B business. Kim Young-seok, head of the business division, stated that the company will contribute to environmental conservation and carbon emissions reductions while strengthening its competitiveness in the sustainable new materials business.