Highlights

• JS Link, a South Korean company, is investing $223 million in a U.S. magnet production facility in Georgia.
• The facility aims to produce 3,000 tons annually by late 2027.
• JS Link is working to diversify away from Chinese magnet supply.
• The company has facilities in Korea and the U.S. targeting a combined 4,000 tons of annual capacity.
• Despite ambitious plans, the company's actual production remains unverified.
• This highlights the challenge of translating announcements into operational scale.

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JS Link, (opens in a new tab) a little-known Korea-based player straddling both biotech and permanent magnet businesses, has circulated its September Permanent Magnet newsletter. While on the surface the release looks like routine corporate correspondence—phone numbers, addresses, and “stay updated” reminders—the real question is whether this is genuine supply chain transparency or simply noise.

Recently, the group announced a major investment  ($223 million) to build a magnet production facility in Georgia.

JS Link operates out of Seoul, South Korea, with a permanent magnet division registered in Jung-gu and a biotech office at Magokjungang. Archived newsletters suggest the company has been consistent in pushing out communications. South Korea, facing long-term dependence on Chinese rare earth imports, has an incentive to encourage even smaller domestic players to show activity in the magnet space.

Background

JS Link, a South Korean company straddling biotech and permanent magnets, is making a bid to join the rare earth supply chain with facilities in both Korea and the U.S. Its Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do plant is projected to produce around 1,000 tons of magnets annually, while a $223 million U.S. facility in Columbus, Georgia, aims for 3,000 tons per year starting in late 2027 if all goes according to plan. If both projects succeed, JS Link would command roughly 4,000 tons of annual capacity—small compared to China’s dominance, but meaningful in allied supply chains.

What’s notable is the gap between projection and proof. The Yesan facility is described as entering “pilot production,” but no hard data on output, quality, or customers has surfaced. The Georgia plant, announced with fanfare by state officials, is years from commissioning. These announcements underscore a familiar pattern in rare earths: capacity figures are often “nameplate” goals, not guaranteed results. The absence of firm production numbers leaves investors and policymakers with more questions than answers.

Still, JS Link’s moves matter in a world racing to diversify away from Chinese magnet supply. If it can transition from newsletters and pilot runs to reliable commercial shipments, the company could help shore up South Korea’s and America’s magnet security. But until JS Link demonstrates operational scale and secures transparent feedstock sources, its dispatches remain long on ambition and short on verification.

Why It Matters in the Rare Earth Supply Chain

In South Korea’s broader context, the magnet sector is fragmented, with a handful of credible players, such as LG Chem, and newer government-backed initiatives aiming to scale up capacity. Against this backdrop, JS Link’s effort is notable.  For investors and policymakers, the danger is mistaking visibility for viability. The real test will be whether JS Link can move beyond the development phase to production at scale, demonstrating production data, partnerships, and technology innovation.

Citation: JS Link Newsletter – September 2025 (Permanent Magnet Division)

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