THE national research institutes of Singapore and South Korea have inked a five-year collaboration to develop micro- and nano-technologies.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), two research institutions under Singapore's Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), and South Korea's Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM).

The collaboration will see researchers embarking on joint academic meetings, symposia and research & development (R&D) projects that have wide-ranging applications across the medical, biomedical, environment, automative and aerospace sectors, said a joint statement on Thursday.

Technological advancements in micro- and nanotechnology are aligned with Singapore's long-term R&D thrusts to grow the clean energy, environment and biotechnology industries, said the statement.

Dr Lim Ser Yong, Executive Director of SIMTech, said: 'The pooling of resources would enable us to make greater and faster progress in the field of micro- and nanotechnology for economic and society outcomes.'

Microtechnologies involve the miniaturisation of products, while nanotechnologies relate to miniscule structures with dimensions of less than or around 100 nanometres. The technologies are used in products such a coatings, packaging and electronic components.