Applications Open from the 10th of Next Month... Preliminary Certification with Design Plans Even Before Construction
[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] A certification system for smart logistics centers incorporating 4th Industrial Revolution technologies such as AI, robotics, and big data will be officially launched to advance our logistics industry.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 8th that through the certification agency, the Korea Transport Institute, it will announce the certification plan starting from the 9th and begin accepting applications from the 10th of next month.
The smart logistics center certification system is a program introduced last year through amendments to the Logistics Facilities Act, whereby the government certifies logistics facilities that adopt advanced and automated facilities, equipment, and systems with excellent efficiency, safety, and eco-friendliness as smart logistics centers, granting administrative and financial benefits.
Upon receiving smart logistics center certification, one can obtain low-interest loans for constructing smart logistics centers or purchasing advanced and automated equipment, with the government supporting up to 2 percentage points of interest costs (with a budget of 10.3 billion KRW this year). Additionally, even before building a smart logistics center, preliminary certification can be obtained through design drawings to receive support benefits.
The smart logistics center certification is determined through document and on-site inspections by a certification review team and deliberation by a certification committee according to certification standards. The certification standards are divided into a functional area evaluating the degree of advancement and automation in logistics processes such as receiving, storage, picking, and shipping, and a foundational area assessing the structural performance of the warehouse, performance management system, and the level of information system adoption.
For parcel delivery terminals, the evaluation focuses on the degree of automation in sorting and loading/unloading operations to improve working conditions that currently rely on long hours and high-intensity labor.
The certification process begins with a basic review of the application by the certification agency, followed by document review and on-site inspection conducted by a certification review team composed of up to five experts, and finally, the certification decision is made through a resolution by a certification committee consisting of seven members. Certification grades from 1 to 5 are assigned by summing scores across areas, and secondary interest subsidy benefits will be provided differentially according to certification grades.
Anyone who owns or operates a smart logistics center can apply for certification by preparing documents related to logistics center design drawings, equipment, and information system adoption status according to certification standards and submitting them to the Korea Transport Institute.
To help the industry understand the certification standards and review procedures, an explanatory session (with online broadcast) will be held on the 27th at KINTEX in Goyang.
Osongcheon, Director of the Advanced Logistics Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We expect the automation of sorting operations at parcel delivery terminals to reduce work intensity and improve working conditions for delivery workers," adding, "We also plan to select handling banks within this month and promptly announce the project for the secondary interest subsidy program, which the industry has high expectations for."
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