Kim Jeong-hwan, President of SanDanGong, "Overcoming COVID-19 through Corporate R&D Support"

Chairman Kim: "Promoting Industrial Complex Innovation with Core Values of Overcoming, Leap, and Trust"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Korea Industrial Complex Corporation (hereinafter referred to as KICOX) announced on the 10th that it will strengthen support for research and development (R&D) and improve industrial complex infrastructure to help tenant companies overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and enhance their competitiveness.

On the same day, KICOX President Kim Jeonghwan presented the New Year's policy goals and directions through his New Year's address, stating, "We will build a future-oriented industrial complex to overcome the difficulties faced by companies due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to lead the post-COVID era."

KICOX set the top priority for this year as corporate support to help tenant companies overcome COVID-19, identifying strengthening technological competitiveness as a core element. President Kim emphasized, "We will prioritize resolving companies' difficulties in the industrial field and focus our capabilities on improving systems." KICOX plans to enhance support for newly reorganized programs such as Commercialization-Linked Technology Development (R&BD) and consortium-type R&D this year.

It will also expand the Smart Green Industrial Complex infrastructure. To build digital infrastructure, innovation data centers and simulation centers will be established to support companies' transition to the digital economy. In the green sector, KICOX plans to build a smart energy platform for industrial complexes to support corporate energy management and transition to low-carbon energy. Renewable energy power generation facilities and waste resource recycling equipment are also expected to be expanded. Additionally, KICOX explained that it will strengthen smart manufacturing workforce training programs and industry-academia cooperation to nurture talent in the digital and green technology fields.

To implement these innovation strategies, KICOX carried out an organizational restructuring this month. A new Industrial Complex Promotion Office was established to lead the Smart Green Industrial Complex. It will focus on supporting teams under it, including the Industrial Complex Promotion Planning Team, Smart Green Industrial Complex Team, and Smart Platform Team. New Industrial Complex Renovation Support Centers were established in Incheon, Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and Gwangju, and 45 personnel from headquarters and new recruits were relocated to these regions to strengthen support functions for local companies.

Furthermore, to create a safe industrial complex environment, KICOX established the Facility Safety Center, regional Industrial Complex Safety Centers, the Corporate Growth Response Center to support corporate regulatory improvements, and the Returnee Company Support Center to revitalize the return of U-turn companies, thereby reinforcing the organizational foundation for policy implementation.

President Kim said, "We will strengthen support for companies and citizens facing difficulties in the industrial field due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "With the attitude of 以患爲利 (turning adversity into opportunity), we will steadily move forward and develop into an institution that finds breakthroughs."

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