'Minimizing Vehicle Production Disruptions' Kia Vice President Awarded Industrial Medal

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 11th that it will award 34 individuals who have contributed to the development of the automotive industry. Choi Jun-young, Vice President of Kia, will receive the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in recognition of his efforts to minimize production disruptions caused by semiconductor supply shortages and for establishing dedicated factories for electric vehicles and purpose-built vehicles. Moon Jong-sik, Executive Director of Daseong, will receive the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit for developing parts for multiple General Motors (GM) models and for leading business restructuring into the electric vehicle battery mounting parts sector.

Additionally, Choi Jong, Vice President of Korea GM; Song Sang-myung, Executive Director of Renault Korea Motors; and Ahn Jae-beom, Vice President of Unique, will receive the Industrial Service Medal. Four individuals, including Kim Chi-kyung, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor Company, will be awarded the Presidential Citation, while five others, including Kim Kyung-no, Head of the Korea ITW Research Institute, will receive the Prime Minister’s Citation. Twenty people, including Kwon Hae-jun, Team Leader at Kia, were awarded the Minister’s Citation.

The Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association and the Korea Automobile Industry Cooperative held a ceremony commemorating Automobile Day at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel on the same day. Automobile Day was established in 2004 to commemorate the achievement of 10 million cumulative automobile exports on May 12, 1999. Jang Young-jin, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "Despite difficult conditions, the automotive industry continues to achieve record-high export performance," and added, "We will actively respond to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) through trade measures and support the automotive industry through tax, finance, and research and development initiatives."