Park Cheolwan, Professor at Seojeong University, Appointed Full-time Vice President of Korea Robot Industry Association

The Korea Robot Industry Association announced on the 1st that it has appointed Professor Park Cheol-wan of the Smart Automotive Department at Seojeong University as the new full-time vice chairman. The term is two years.

Vice Chairman Park, born in 1971, graduated from the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Seoul National University and received his master's and doctoral degrees from the same university's graduate school.

He has served as a specialist member of the Science and Technology Education Subcommittee of the 20th Presidential Transition Committee and as a standing energy advisor for Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign. At the presidential transition committee and the campaign, he oversaw advanced strategic science and technology and industrial policies of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, including secondary batteries, intelligent mobility, and robotics.

He currently serves as a private member of the Energy and Industrial Transition Subcommittee of the Presidential 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee and concurrently as chairman of the Energy Company Transition Special Committee. Vice Chairman Park is on leave from his professorship at Seojeong University and began his duties from today.

Park Cheol-wan, newly appointed full-time vice president of the Korea Robot Industry Association [Photo by Robot Industry Association]

The association stated that it expects Vice Chairman Park to play a bridging role between the government and industry to foster the growth of the robot industry and to demonstrate his capabilities in resolving current issues.

Vice Chairman Park said, "It is time to elevate the robotics field to a national advanced strategic technology and industry to accelerate the convergence and high growth of the industrial economy," adding, "I will do my best to secure government budget and policy support so that the robot industry can prosper further."

He said, "Robotics technology and industry are advancing with AI-equipped humanoids, manufacturing, and robotic mobility," and added, "By converging with other national strategic technologies such as AI, semiconductors and displays, secondary batteries, future cars, and next-generation energy, it will play a major role in completing next-generation manufacturing through manufacturing innovation and advancement."

He continued, "Since the majority of companies engaged in the robot industry are small and medium-sized enterprises, close cooperation and support from the government are necessary for industrial promotion and development," and said, "I will do my best to ensure that the association acts as a linker between the government and industry."