Gwangju City Selected for AI Autonomous Manufacturing Contest in 'Future Cars and Home Appliances'

Development of Automotive Electronic Components and Intelligent Home Appliance Systems
Leading Project by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy... Secured 8.8 Billion KRW in National Funding

Lee Sang-gap, Vice Mayor of Culture and Economy of Gwangju City, along with officials from various local governments selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Autonomous Manufacturing Leading Project" business competition, are taking a commemorative photo after signing an agreement on the afternoon of the 28th at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.
[Photo by Gwangju City]

On the 28th, Gwangju City announced that two projects in the future car and home appliance sectors were selected in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) Autonomous Manufacturing Leading Project’ competition, receiving 8.8 billion KRW in national funding. AI autonomous manufacturing refers to a manufacturing environment that implements advanced and autonomous production by integrating robots and equipment into the manufacturing process based on AI.

The city focused on its core industries, future cars and home appliances, securing projects for the development of autonomous manufacturing system technology to improve productivity in the painting process of electronic components, and the development of AI-based autonomous manufacturing operation technology for home appliance factories.

Earlier, in May, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy launched the ‘AI Autonomous Manufacturing Strategy 1.0’ project and called for proposals for the ‘AI Autonomous Manufacturing Model Development Project’ applicable across 12 key industries including machinery, shipbuilding, semiconductors, automobiles, and secondary batteries. The goal is to develop advanced manufacturing environment construction technology and realize an optimized production environment based on big data and AI technologies covering production and management. The ministry plans to support over 200 projects by 2028 to elevate Korea’s manufacturing industry by integrating AI. Among the 25 projects selected this year, Gwangju City secured two projects in the future car and home appliance sectors.

First, in the future car sector, the ‘Autonomous Manufacturing System Technology Development Project to Improve Productivity in the Painting Process of Electronic Components’ was selected. Three leading local companies and institutions ? Korea Alps Co., Ltd., Korea Automotive Technology Institute, and Gwangju Industry-Academic Convergence Institute ? will invest a total of 5.7 billion KRW, including 3.5 billion KRW in national funding, over four years from this year to 2027 to develop and demonstrate autonomous production technology for the painting process of electronic components.

In the home appliance sector, the ‘Development of AI-Based Autonomous Manufacturing Operation Technology for Home Appliance Factories’ project was selected. DH Global Co., Ltd., a specialist in home appliance ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing), will lead the project, with participation from JD Tech Co., Ltd., Ausystem Co., Ltd., Korea Electronics Technology Institute, and Korea Institute of Industrial Technology. They will invest a total of 7.6 billion KRW, including 5.3 billion KRW in national funding, over four years starting this year to develop an intelligent manufacturing operation system. The project aims to achieve a 20% increase in home appliance productivity.

Kim Yong-seung, Director of the AI Industry Office of Gwangju City, stated, “By introducing this AI-based autonomous manufacturing project, we expect to strengthen overall corporate competitiveness through securing product diversity and reducing defect rates, as well as create quality jobs and revitalize the local economy.” He emphasized, “We will strive to accelerate the establishment of Gwangju as a leading city in future mobility and the home appliance industry by linking AI with upstream and downstream industries.”

Meanwhile, on the same day in the afternoon, Gwangju City held a ‘AI Autonomous Manufacturing Leading Project Agreement Ceremony’ with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, attended by Lee Sang-gap, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy, among others.