Mayor Park Hyungjun's Pledge: Establishment of a Digital Transformation Cluster and Smart Expansion Strategy for Western Busan Manufacturing
Mayor Park Hyungjun: "A Catalyst for Growth in Local Machinery Parts and Robotics Manufacturing... Revitalizing the Regional Economy"
Busan City has secured a total of 29.8 billion KRW in national funding after five projects submitted to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's public contest in the machinery parts and robotics sectors were selected.
With this selection, the city will promote five public contest projects from this year until 2028. The total project cost will amount to 45.43 billion KRW, including 29.8 billion KRW in national funding.
The five projects are: ▲ Establishment of a BIZ Platform for Advancement of the Root Industry (2024-2028, 17 billion KRW), ▲ Establishment of Shared Facilities for Eco-friendly Advanced Plastic Processing Parts Production Base (2024, 1 billion KRW), ▲ Advancement of E-Mobility Laser Application Technology Manufacturing Equipment Base Project (2024-2028, 15.6 billion KRW), ▲ Establishment of a Technical Support Base for Service Robot Parts for Daily Life Support (2024-2028, 4.5 billion KRW), and ▲ Shinpyeong-Jangrim Industrial Complex Smart Manufacturing Advanced Workforce Training Project (2024-2026, 7.33 billion KRW).
First, by 2028, 17 billion KRW will be invested in the 'Establishment of a BIZ Platform for Advancement of the Root Industry' project.
Led by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (Southeast Headquarters), an integrated BIZ platform will be established to support the advancement, digital transformation, entry into new industries, and business restructuring of local root companies struggling to respond to future new technologies.
Next, this year, 1 billion KRW will be invested in the 'Establishment of Shared Facilities for Eco-friendly Advanced Plastic Processing Parts Production Base' project. Through this, shared facilities will be built in Busan's specialized complex for eco-friendly automotive parts convergence, allowing related local companies to jointly use the facilities for prototype production and more.
Over five years until 2028, 17 billion KRW will be invested in the 'Advancement of E-Mobility Laser Application Technology Manufacturing Equipment Base Project.' In line with the rapid transition from internal combustion engines to future vehicles such as electric and hydrogen cars, the project will support the development of manufacturing technologies for key future vehicle parts (such as battery packs and drive motors).
Led by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials Busan Machinery Technology Research Center, the project will develop manufacturing technologies for core eco-friendly vehicle parts using advanced lasers and support performance testing and evaluation, thereby transforming the region's internal combustion engine-centered parts industry into an E-mobility parts industry.
In addition, a total of 4.5 billion KRW will be invested by 2028 in the 'Establishment of a Technical Support Base for Service Robot Parts for Daily Life Support' project to foster the rapidly growing service robot industry and aid in the development of core parts technologies.
Centered on the Korea Institute for Robot Convergence Busan Center, the project will support the development of core robot parts (such as reducers, servo motors, sensors, controllers, etc.) and build research support infrastructure to assist local SMEs related to robotics.
Lastly, aiming to train around 1,000 smart manufacturing personnel tailored to local needs, the 'Shinpyeong-Jangrim Industrial Complex Smart Manufacturing Advanced Workforce Training Project' will be promoted over three years until 2026 with a total project cost of 7.3 billion KRW.
By supporting field-oriented new workforce and incumbent employee training and employment linkage, the project aims to resolve the shortage of young and professional (experienced) talent in local SMEs due to the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry.
This selection is the result of efforts to fulfill the pledge of Mayor Park Hyungjun in the 8th popularly elected administration to build a 'Western Busan Manufacturing Digital Transformation Cluster' and to implement the 'Busan Manufacturing Smartization Expansion Strategy (2023.10.26)' established at the 39th Emergency Economic Countermeasures Meeting.
In particular, since last year, the city has prepared for the public contest through cooperation among government, industry, academia, and research institutes, and close collaboration with local National Assembly members and innovation support organizations played a significant role in achieving this success.
Local National Assembly members Cho Kyungtae, Kim Doeup, Jang Jewon, Park Sooyoung (a member of the Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee), Sasang District Office, local innovation organizations such as the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Southeast Headquarters, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials Busan Machinery Technology Research Center, Korea Institute for Robot Convergence Busan Center, Busan Machinery Industry Cooperative, Busan University-Industry Convergence Institute, Dong-A University, Busan Institute of Science and Technology, and Busan Automotive Parts Industry Cooperative all joined forces with the city as one team.
Mayor Park Hyungjun said, "I expect that these public contest projects will serve as a catalyst for further growth in the region's machinery parts and robotics manufacturing industries, thereby revitalizing the local economy," and added, "The city will continue to discover and foster future core strategic industries tailored to Busan by reflecting field voices through government-industry-academia-research cooperation."
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