[44th National Productivity Conference] Innovation Achievements Including Localization of Auto Parts and Improvement of Domestic Clay Brick Competitiveness

Winners of Glory

Chairman Donghee Lee (second from the left) is taking a commemorative photo after receiving the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit at the 44th National Productivity Awards held on the 25th.

At the 44th National Productivity Awards, business leaders who contributed to national economic growth and industrial competitiveness through continuous research and development (R&D) were honored with awards.

Lee Dong-ho, Chairman of Donghee, who received the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, is recognized for helping elevate the competitiveness of South Korea's automobile industry to a global level through R&D. The import substitution effect achieved by domestic production of automotive parts such as fuel tank valves amounts to 12 billion KRW annually, with cost savings reaching 4.1 billion KRW. Other products, including pedal part sensors, have also been localized, bringing the cumulative import substitution effect to 18 billion KRW.

He is also highly praised for enhancing national competitiveness by introducing a new paradigm in the manufacturing industry model. Chairman Lee established the country's first complete car Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) factory, presenting an innovative regional industrial model for creating new jobs. The factory's cumulative production volume is 3.55 million units, and it is known as the only domestic complete car factory since 2009 without any line stoppages due to labor disputes.

Hansamhwa Samhan Siwon Chairman (center) is posing for a commemorative photo after receiving the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit at the 44th National Productivity Awards held on the 25th.

Han Sam-hwa, Chairman of Samhan Ciwon, who received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, is recognized for 'enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic clay brick industry.' Since the 1980s, he benchmarked advanced overseas countries and combined their technologies with his own developments to build the world's most advanced automated production system. He also pioneered the industry's first 100% fully automated production facility using robots, leading the implementation of a smart factory in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This enabled the production of products with uniform size, strength, absorption rate, and color, facilitating easier construction and significantly improving the quality of finished sites. Based on this excellent quality, the company has expanded its domestic market and opened export routes to countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Russia, and Ukraine, gaining international recognition for product quality.

Lee Byung-joo, CEO of Sale Jeonggi, who received the Industrial Medal in the individual category, was recognized for his contributions to the development and productivity improvement of the non-ferrous metal industry, including securing world-class patents through R&D. He localized the high-pressure filter press, which had been entirely imported, reducing delivery time from two years to eight months, greatly enhancing customer productivity. Similarly, Lee Woo-yeol, Vice President of Kookmin Bank, who also received the Industrial Medal in the individual category, was praised for completing the next-generation IT system 'The K Project,' establishing KB Financial ICT's comprehensive hub 'Gimpo Integrated IT Center,' and leading enterprise-wide smart work through the introduction of collaboration tools, contributing to the development and productivity improvement of the financial industry.

No Wang-gi, CEO of Kuklim P&Tech, who received the Presidential Citation, has devoted himself to production and technology development in the automotive parts sector. Based on this, he gained external credibility in technology and quality, supporting productivity improvement in the domestic and international automotive industries as a specialized automotive parts injection company. Nam Jong-seok, CEO of Kan, who also received the Presidential Citation, was recognized for his 30 years of work in trade, contributing to economic exchanges between South Korea and Poland, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises' entry into the Eastern European market, and facilitating youth overseas employment connections.