KOSDAQ-listed JS Link said on the 9th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with POSCO International for cooperation in the rare earth permanent magnet business.
Through this MOU, JS Link will begin in earnest to build a non-China rare earth permanent magnet supply chain centered on the United States. The company said the MOU marks an important turning point in expanding its global business.
This cooperation is expected to serve as an opportunity to concretize a business model that spans from rare earth raw materials to permanent magnets by combining JS Link's permanent magnet manufacturing capabilities with POSCO International's global resources and sales infrastructure.
Under the MOU, JS Link will be responsible for overall plant operations, including establishing a U.S. permanent magnet plant, production of permanent magnets, and quality control.
In line with this, POSCO International will pursue: ▲ sales to customers of permanent magnets produced at the U.S. plant ▲ supply of rare earth feedstock to JS Link's U.S. plant ▲ recycling of waste magnets and process scrap generated during production.
JS Link expects its U.S. plant to become a key base responsible for permanent magnet production within POSCO International's rare earth business strategy.
JS Link plans to use this cooperation as a springboard to expand into the high value-added area of permanent magnets, in connection with POSCO International's circular rare earth supply chain strategy spanning refining, magnet production, and recycling.
In particular, it plans to build a permanent magnet production base centered on the U.S. market and gradually strengthen its supply capabilities for global customers. In this process, POSCO International also plans to cooperate on government relations with the U.S. government so that JS Link's U.S. business can proceed smoothly.
Before finalizing specific contract terms, the MOU established a basic framework to set the direction of cooperation across the rare earth permanent magnet business and to gradually expand the scope of cooperation as the business progresses.
Based on this, JS Link plans to review with POSCO International various cooperation measures that can enhance the stability and executability of the partnership over the long term.
This cooperation also aligns with the global industry's task of securing a non-China supply chain for rare earths and permanent magnets. As the importance of permanent magnets grows in key industries such as electric vehicles, wind power, defense, and robotics, stable production and supply capabilities outside China remain limited.
JS Link plans to address these structural constraints through cooperation with POSCO International and play a meaningful role in building a non-China rare earth permanent magnet supply chain.