'Launch of the "Junggi Smart Manufacturing Innovation Planning Team"... Ministry of SMEs and Startups Organizational Restructuring'

Joo Joo-hyun, Head of the SME Smart Manufacturing Innovation Planning Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 20th that it will launch a dedicated organization for the digital economy transition of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

The newly established organization is the 'SME Smart Manufacturing Innovation Planning Group.' It is a director-level dedicated organization that will serve as the government's control tower for smart manufacturing innovation for SMEs. It was established directly under the Vice Minister, with Jo Juhyun, Director of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, appointed as the head.

Director Jo was born in 1969 and holds a bachelor's degree in Diplomacy and a master's degree in Public Administration from Seoul National University. He completed a master's degree in Economics and a doctorate in Policy Studies at the University of Delaware, USA. He passed the 38th Administrative Examination and has served as an administrative officer at the Presidential Secretariat's SME Secretariat and as the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' Technology Talent Policy Officer. Currently, he is serving as the Growth Support Policy Officer and will be transferred to the position of Head of the SME Smart Manufacturing Innovation Planning Group as of the 21st through this organizational restructuring.

The Planning Group will play the role of a platform for smart manufacturing innovation, similar to Germany's 'Platform Industry 4.0.' It will have collaborative functions with related ministries, enabling rapid decision-making on manufacturing innovation policies, and is expected to enhance policy efficiency centered on the field through cooperation with private institution experts. Under the Planning Group, the 'Manufacturing Innovation Policy Division' and 'Manufacturing Innovation Support Division' have been established to promote the spread of smart factories.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has also established the 'Smart Small Business Promotion Division' under the Small Business Policy Officer. It is expected to play a pioneering role in the digital economy transition of small business owners through the spread of smart stores. It will discover new policies in response to changes in the management environment of small business owners, such as online and smart transformations, and support small business owners in building self-sustainability and competitiveness through the expansion of Zero Pay and support for reducing operating costs.

Additionally, a 'Media Cooperation Team' has been established under the spokesperson. It will oversee policies related to newspapers, broadcasting, and online media. The Ministry plans to strengthen policy promotion for SMEs and small business owners.

Organizational restructuring was also pursued to enhance synergy effects in export and overseas market policies. The organization responsible for overseas expansion policies for SMEs was integrated with the organization responsible for domestic sales channels and growth support (reorganized as the Global Growth Policy Officer). Noh Yongseok, Overseas Market Policy Officer, will serve as the Global Growth Policy Officer.

Minister Park Youngsun of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated, "To achieve a new leap in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we will build the world's strongest DNA (Data·Network·AI) Korea," adding, "We will continue to reorganize the organization to strengthen policy capabilities to promote new innovation growth strategies centered on SMEs and startups."

With this organizational restructuring, the structure changed from 1 Vice Minister, 4 offices, 2 divisions, 12 bureaus, and 43 departments to 1 Vice Minister, 4 offices, 3 divisions, 11 bureaus, and 45 departments.

Meanwhile, along with the organizational restructuring, personnel transfers at the director level were also announced. ◆ Ministry of SMEs and Startups Director-level Transfers ▶ Regulatory Reform Legal Officer, Deputy Director Lee Okhyung ▶ Global Growth Policy Division Head, Technical Officer Jeong Jaehoon ▶ Win-win Cooperation Support Division Head, Technical Officer Park Sangyong ▶ International Cooperation Division Head, Officer Jin Suwoong ▶ Innovation Administration Officer, Technical Officer Son Hugun ▶ Human Resources Development Division Head, Technical Officer Kim Mingyu ▶ Sales Policy Division Head, Officer Lee Heejeong ▶ Manufacturing Innovation Policy Division Head, Technical Officer Kim Woosoon ▶ Small Business Management Support Division Head, Officer Park Eunju ▶ Local Commercial District Division Head, Local Officer Noh Gisu ▶ Traditional Market Promotion Division Head, Technical Officer Lee Sangcheon ▶ Manufacturing Innovation Support Division Head, Technical Officer Park Jonghak ▶ Smart Small Business Promotion Division Head, Technical Officer Shin Jaekyung.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.