<기사제목>Ministry of SMEs and Startups Reports Average Employment Increase of 2.6 Employees in Companies Adopting Smart Factories

Achievements such as the distribution of over 25,000 smart factories through smart manufacturing innovation and the establishment of KAMP
Pilot operation of the 'My Manufacturing Data Platform' and training of 100,000 smart manufacturing personnel

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that its 'Smart Manufacturing Innovation' policy, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has contributed to improving job quality. Companies that have adopted smart factories saw an average increase of 2.6 employees and a 6.2% reduction in industrial accidents.

Based on these achievements, the Ministry plans to actively promote the advancement of smart factories, expansion of manufacturing infrastructure, and workforce development to enhance the effectiveness of the policy.

On the 22nd, the Ministry announced the 'Job Improvement Performance and Future Directions through Smart Manufacturing Innovation for SMEs' at the 22nd Job Committee meeting, focusing on these outcomes.

Improving Job Quality through Carbon-Neutral Factories and Smart Factory Dissemination

The Ministry has distributed over 25,000 smart factories by this year through its ongoing smart manufacturing innovation efforts and established the 'Data Manufacturing Platform (KAMP)' utilizing manufacturing data.

It also built a mass production system for K-quarantine products, and with the dissemination of carbon-neutral factories and smart factories, working environments have improved, leading to increased hiring of youth and women and better working conditions, thereby enhancing job quality. As a result, companies adopting smart factories experienced an average employment increase of 2.6 persons and a 6.2% decrease in industrial accidents.

Accordingly, the Ministry plans to build 100 digital cooperation zones (clusters) and 100 K-Lighthouse factories by 2025 to increase policy effectiveness and actively expand advanced models such as carbon-neutral smart factories.

To enhance the technological capabilities of supply companies, a solution store has been established within KAMP to support market access, and efforts are underway to realize smart manufacturing based on manufacturing data through AI manufacturing platform advancement and legislation.

In particular, by 2024, 50 AI standard models will be developed to promote the sharing, utilization, and trading of manufacturing data, and the 'My Manufacturing Data Platform' will be piloted. Participation in GAIA-X, an international standard for manufacturing data sharing, will be expanded, and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Act will also be enacted.

Training 100,000 Smart Manufacturing Personnel

The Ministry will train specialized smart factory operators and accelerate workplace innovation. Through education for current and new workers, it will continue to cultivate 100,000 smart manufacturing personnel and nurture about 3,000 AI convergence talents and supply company specialists by 2025.

To manage AI smart factories, a 'Manufacturing Data Facilitator Training Project' will be newly established to develop experts in data management and on-site problem solving. Post-management and linkage with workplace innovation (Ministry of Employment and Labor) will be strengthened to improve corporate work methods and increase the utilization of smart technologies.

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated, "The results of smart manufacturing innovation are becoming visible, and we have confirmed effects such as improved job quality through not only corporate growth but also better working environments. We will promptly implement the tasks included in this agenda to ensure the continuous growth of small and medium manufacturing enterprises."

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