Farewell Ceremony for Jo Yong-jin, Executive Vice Chairman of Korea Photonics Industry Promotion Association

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Jo Yong-jin, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea Photonics Industry Promotion Association, held a retirement ceremony on the 8th at the association's 3rd-floor auditorium, concluding his 9-year term.

The retirement ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including association staff, Park Gwang-tae, CEO of Gwangju Global Motors, Shin Yong-jin, Director of the Korea Photonics Technology Institute, Ko Do-kyung, President of the Korean Optical Society, Jeong Chang-yoon, Chairman of the Photonics Industry Representatives Council, Park Jeong-il, Head of the Photonics Medical Health Industry Cooperative, executives, and operating committee members.

The event included an appreciation plaque presentation to Vice Chairman Jo, followed by merit plaque presentations to Jeong Chang-yoon, Chairman of the Photonics Industry Representatives Council, and Park Jeong-il, Head of the Photonics Medical Health Industry Cooperative.

In his retirement speech, Vice Chairman Jo said, “The 9 years and 3 months we shared hardships and joys was difficult but honorable, and it was a time of gratitude that I will carry with me for life.”

Vice Chairman Jo, originally from Goheung, Jeollanam-do, began his public service career in 1977 as an 8th-grade mechanical official in Gwangju City. He held key positions such as Public Relations Officer, Director of the Environment and Greenery Bureau, Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau, and Director of the Planning and Management Office before serving as Executive Vice Chairman of the association since 2013.

While serving as Vice Chairman, he leveraged his extensive network with central government ministries, local governments, and industries to help establish photonics convergence development policies and lay the foundation for the second leap of the photonics convergence industry.

In particular, during his tenure, he led efforts to enact the “Act on the Development and Support of Photonics Convergence Technology and Infrastructure,” contributing to the establishment of a national legal support basis for the domestic photonics convergence industry.

With the enactment of the “Act on the Development and Support of Photonics Convergence Technology and Infrastructure,” the photonics convergence industry gained a national legal support foundation for its second leap forward, and the Korea Photonics Industry Promotion Association was designated as the country’s sole “dedicated agency for photonics convergence development,” significantly enhancing the institution’s role and status.

Additionally, Vice Chairman Jo was recognized for resolving various issues facing the photonics industry and the association by developing diverse support policies such as ▲ expanding overseas exhibitions and discovering overseas pilot installation projects to enhance domestic and international marketing functions ▲ establishing a non-face-to-face comprehensive situation room to provide 24-hour online export consultation support ▲ operating a one-stop service for problem-solving ▲ supporting prototypes and testing certification ▲ training specialized personnel and job matching ▲ nationalizing the association through cooperative revitalization ▲ improving financial independence by discovering successful models for LED distribution projects.

Vice Chairman Jo expressed regret, saying, “It is unfortunate to leave without advancing the construction of the ‘Photonics Convergence Comprehensive Support Center’ for cooperative development projects and specialized personnel training in the photonics convergence field,” but added, “Although I feel regret, since there is now a legal basis, I expect that under Chairman Jeong Cheol-dong’s leadership, the newly appointed Executive Vice Chairman and all staff will unite and work together to fully resolve these issues.”

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