Ministry of Industry Holds 2nd Carbon Neutrality Committee Meeting with Electrical and Electronics Industry

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] On the 16th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the '2nd Electric and Electronic Carbon Neutrality Committee' with executives from leading companies in the industry and experts in attendance.

The Electric and Electronic Carbon Neutrality Committee, launched in March, discussed key tasks for carbon neutrality in the electric and electronic sector, the current status of government support, and presented carbon neutrality promotion cases by industry, while gathering opinions from the industry and experts.

Kim Jong-gi, Head of the New Industry Division at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, introduced measures for the 'Key Tasks for Carbon Neutrality in the Electric and Electronic Industry,' including ▲energy efficiency (equipment efficiency, process improvement, introduction of new equipment, etc.) ▲energy transition (electrification of oil and city gas, expansion of renewable energy) ▲non-energy sector reduction (reduction of refrigerants and SF6).

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the 'Current Status of Government Support,' including progress in carbon neutrality-related research and development (R&D), planning of new projects, infrastructure support, and tax incentives for corporate facility investments. They promised to continuously discover new technologies related to carbon neutrality and additional government support measures for companies.

Participants proposed and discussed response directions for achieving carbon neutrality, including ▲expansion of tax support for carbon neutrality transition technologies ▲securing leadership in establishing global carbon footprint standards ▲expanding incentives for companies participating in 'RE100.'

Jin Hong, Executive Vice President of the Korea Electronics Association, stated, "The electronics, electrical, and battery industries are making leading efforts to realize carbon neutrality and achieve national reduction targets, and we hope that carbon neutrality, a global challenge, becomes an opportunity for industrial development." He added, "We ask the government for active policy support so that the latest reduction cases and technologies discussed at this committee can be practically commercialized, leading to fundamental innovation in production structures and enhancement of industrial competitiveness."

A Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy official emphasized, "For our electronics, electrical, and battery industries to maintain a super-gap amid fierce competition with rival countries, carbon neutrality must be realized through eco-friendly transformation of the entire ecosystem." He added, "The government will make multifaceted efforts to support the industry, including not only technology development such as planning cross-ministerial joint carbon neutrality R&D projects but also 'tax support for carbon neutrality R&D and facility investments.'"