Media outlets in the United States and Japan have identified the Sangdong Mine in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, as a potential major supplier of tungsten, a critical mineral for the defense industry.

The Sangdong Mine, which closed in 1994 after being pushed out by Chinese tungsten, resumed operations this past March.

The New York Times reported on the Sangdong Mine, describing it as the "front line" in the competition for the U.S. to secure critical minerals, specifically tungsten.

Tungsten is essential for materials in the semiconductor, defense, and aerospace industries due to its ability to withstand extreme heat and high pressure.

It is estimated that 58 million tons of tungsten are currently deposited at the Sangdong Mine.

The mining and operations are managed by Almonty Industries, a company based in Montana, U.S., with an annual production capacity of 2,300 tons, most of which is exported to the United States.

Lewis Black, CEO of Almonty, told The New York Times, "We expect it will take 45 years to mine all the tungsten deposits," adding that it is "a level capable of supplying about 40% of the global demand for tungsten, excluding China."

The media outlet assessed that with China currently producing 85% of the global tungsten supply, the Sangdong Mine could deal a blow to China's attempts to dominate the tungsten supply chain.

The report suggests that a mechanism is now in place to counter China's monopoly on tungsten, especially since tungsten prices soared following the Chinese government's announcement of export control measures in February of last year, coupled with a surge in demand for military supplies.

Japan's NHK also highlighted the Sangdong Mine early last month, analyzing that "South Korea has gained the strength to provide a stable supply of tungsten to allies such as the United States."

However, The New York Times did not specifically address how the fact that most of the mined tungsten is exported to the U.S. might affect South Korea's "resource sovereignty."

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Jung Yu-min | Produced by SBS Digital News