FAISALABAD, Pakistan, May 14, 2026 — The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) held a ground breaking ceremony on May 14 at the National Textile University (NTU) in Faisalabad to officially congratulate the construction of the “Pak-Korea Technical Textile Centre (PKTC)”. The project marks a major milestone in efforts of South Korea to support the advancement of Pakistan’s industrial textile sector.
Pakistan’s textile industry is a cornerstone of the national economy, accounting more than half of national exports. However, as the global competition around conventional apparel fabrics has become exceedingly intense, diversifying into high-value industrial textiles has become imperative to secure comparative advantage for Pakistan’s textile industry.
KOICA is addressing this gap through Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea. Following an initial phase from 2013 to 2017, which provided textile manufacturing equipment to NTU, KOICA launched a second phase in 2022 encompassing the establishment of the PKTC. The project also includes policy recommendations for the industrial textile sector, joint R&D of textile prototypes, and capacity building programmes for industry professionals.
PKTC will be constructed as a two-story complex, comprising a lab block that is capable of accommodating composite non-woven fabric manufacturing systems, and an academic block housing a library and lecture rooms. By integrating production and research functions under one roof, the centre is expected to serve multiple roles in advancing Pakistan’s textile ecosystem and fostering long-term bilateral cooperation in textile industries.
The ceremony was followed by submission of safety pledge by the contractor and delivery of safety gears by Mr. Je Ho Yeon, the Country Director of KOICA Pakistan. The ceremony was concluded with a shared commitment by participants to continuing strong partnerships for the advancement of Pakistan’s technical textile sector. Moving forward, KOICA expressed its willingness to work closely with the Government of Pakistan to translate its roadmap into tangible outcomes, while continuing to promote sustainable industrial transformation and innovation.
Rector of the National Textile University, Prof. Dr. Rashid Masood, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Government of Korea and KOICA in advancing Pakistan’s textile industry, stating that “the establishment of the Pak-Korea Technical Textile Centre will mark an important turning point in strengthening Pakistan’s research and development capacity as well as its foundation for cultivating skilled professionals.”
In his remarks, Mr. Je Ho Yeon said that he was pleased to witness the project develop from Phase I to Phase II and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the National Textile University in making this possible. He further noted that he hopes the Pak-Korea Technical Textile Centre will establish itself as a hub leading technological innovation partnership between Korea and Pakistan and the advancement of high value-added textile industry.
