Security Industry United: "No Workers Available"... Lee Young Calls for "Overseas Workforce Recruitment"

Meeting with About 10 Security Industry Leaders
Expressed Intent to Improve Procurement Market System
"Collaboration with Other Ministries like MSIT and MOEL"

The security industry met with Lee Young, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, to appeal for solutions to manpower shortages, improvements in the procurement market system, and regulatory reforms. Minister Lee stated that he would collaborate with other ministries to address the manpower shortage issue and work on institutional improvements.

Fostering and supporting the cybersecurity sector is also a campaign pledge of President Yoon Seok-yeol. Last July, the government announced plans to cultivate 100,000 cybersecurity talents in preparation for the digital economy transition, but the field is currently struggling, saying, "There is an immediate shortage of personnel on the ground."

On the 21st, Minister Lee held a meeting with about 10 representatives from the security industry at Dream Square in Dohwa-dong, Seoul, to hear these voices from the field.

In his opening remarks, Minister Lee said, "Since taking office, I have maintained the stance that small and medium-sized enterprises related to knowledge industries must be nurtured and protected," adding, "Especially, 'getting fair value for software' is a timely task for transforming the economic system beyond just preventing unfair trade in specific industries."

In this regard, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that since the end of last year, it has been operating a Software Fair Value Task Force (TF) team in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Fair Trade Commission.

At the field meeting, security industry entrepreneurs cited difficulties entering the procurement market and chronic manpower shortages as their main challenges.

Yoon Doo-sik, CEO of Jiranjigyo Security, said, "To register in the procurement market, existing delivery records are used as a basis, but it is difficult if there are no delivery records to public institutions," and requested, "The procurement unit price, which tends to be set close to the lowest price, must also be resolved."

Jo Ah-young, CEO of Onapeople, said, "When small and medium-sized enterprises train personnel, large companies hire 'secondhand new employees,'" and suggested, "A system is needed where the government supports wages when employees move from large companies to small and medium-sized enterprises."

Lee Joong-yeon, CEO of KTNF, said, "Feeling the limits in recruiting personnel, we decided to create a mini data center within the company to provide free training," appealing for government interest and support.

A security company representative reported that a regulation has recently been introduced requiring TTA certification, one of the software certifications, to be mandatory when supplying CCTV to government agencies or local governments. He pointed out, "Until now, TTA certification was a recommendation, but from the 20th, it has become mandatory," adding, "The problem is that many Chinese products have also obtained TTA certification."

In response, Minister Lee said, "I will look into whether regulations regarding the origin of products can be added to the TTA certification requirements."

He also presented a plan to resolve the software manpower shortage by recruiting overseas personnel. Similar to the large-scale acceptance of foreign workers in manufacturing and agriculture, he intends to bring software personnel from Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines and Indonesia.

To this end, it is necessary to investigate the manpower demand of the software industry in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and others, and a visa system specialized for company employment is also needed.

Minister Lee said, "We will improve issues that can be resolved internally within the Ministry of SMEs and Startups," adding, "We will join forces with other ministries to promote improvements in the procurement system at an appropriate time."