"Smart Manufacturing Innovation National Task"... Minister Oh Young-joo Visits Hyundai Motor Global Innovation Center

On the 27th, Oh Young-joo, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, visited the Hyundai Motor Group Global Innovation Center (HMGICS) located in Singapore.

This visit was part of an on-site event related to the 'Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem Advancement Plan' scheduled to be announced in September by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in collaboration with related ministries. Following a meeting with specialized smart manufacturing companies and a visit to Cosmecca Korea, a leading domestic smart factory construction company, the visit was conducted to incorporate advanced cases into the plan.

Minister Oh Young-joo of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited the Hyundai Motor Group Global Innovation Center (HMGICS) located in Singapore. (Photo by Ministry of SMEs and Startups)

Minister Oh explained the background of the visit to the innovation center, stating, "Our government has set smart manufacturing innovation for small and medium enterprises as a national agenda for the continuous growth of the manufacturing industry and is actively promoting the digital transformation of small and medium manufacturing businesses. Following the announcement of the 'New Digital Manufacturing Innovation Promotion Strategy' last September and the achievement of distributing 30,000 smart factories, we have decided to support the digital transformation of 25,000 small and medium manufacturing businesses by 2027, including fostering 5,000 advanced companies, in cooperation with the private sector and local communities."

Completed in November 2023, the Hyundai Motor Group Global Innovation Center is a smart urban mobility hub equipped with all facilities from production and research and development to customer experience, established as a testbed for Hyundai Motor Group to research and demonstrate human-centered future mobility.

Hyundai Motor Group Global Innovation Center (HMGICS) in Singapore. (Photo by Ministry of SMEs and Startups)

Minister Oh stated, "Manufacturing accounts for 84% of total exports and is a core part of the national economy. Small and medium manufacturing sites, which are facing difficulties due to a declining working population caused by low birth rates and aging, are seeking solutions through digital transformation."

He continued, "For South Korea to leap forward as a top-tier manufacturing powerhouse through digital transformation, the capabilities and roles of not only manufacturing companies but also specialized companies supplying technology are very important. Therefore, based on the advanced cases identified during this visit, we will promptly establish the 'Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem Advancement Plan' through fostering the smart manufacturing industry."

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