Cabinet Approves Partial Amendment to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Organization Act
Largest Restructuring Since the Launch of the Former Ministry in 2013
Establishment of the Industrial Resource Security Office and the Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau
Korea-US Trade Cooperation Division Also Established to Strengthen Bilateral Trade Functions
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has carried out a major organizational restructuring, establishing the Industrial Resource Security Office to unify resource security functions previously dispersed within the ministry, and creating the 'Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau' to oversee the manufacturing AI transformation policy.
The ministry announced that the 'Partial Amendment to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Organization Act,' which includes these changes, was approved at the Cabinet meeting on December 23.
A ministry official stated, "This is the largest organizational restructuring since the launch of the former Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2013," and explained, "As of December 30, we will add one office and one bureau, namely the Industrial Resource Security Office and the Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau, as well as four new divisions, including Industrial AI Policy, Chemical Industry, Advanced Civil-Military Cooperation, and Korea-US Trade Cooperation, increasing the workforce by 36 people."
First, the ministry will establish the Industrial Resource Security Office to integrate and manage economic and industrial security functions that were previously dispersed across the Resource Industry (under the Vice Minister), Industrial Supply Chain (Industrial Policy Office), and Trade Security (Trade and Investment Office). The head of the Industrial Resource Security Office will serve as a control tower, overseeing and coordinating economic security policies within the ministry to address uncertainties in the global supply chain, such as rare earth export controls resulting from the US-China technological hegemony competition.
To strengthen the manufacturing AI transformation (M.AX) function, the ministry is creating the Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau (Director General), which will be dedicated to related policies. Under this bureau, two new divisions will be established: the Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Division and the Manufacturing AI Transformation Cooperation Division (an autonomous body). Additionally, the existing Machinery and Robot Manufacturing Policy Division and Bio-Convergence Industry Division will be reorganized into the AI Machinery and Robot Division and the AI Bio-Convergence Division, respectively, by integrating AI functions, thereby significantly enhancing the manufacturing AI transformation (M.AX) capabilities.
In addition, the Korea-US Trade Cooperation Division will be newly established to strengthen Korea-US trade functions, such as industrial cooperation between the two countries following the Korea-US tariff negotiations. The Advanced Civil-Military Cooperation Division will be formalized to provide stable support for defense industry exports and the strengthening of the defense materials, parts, and equipment ecosystem. To overcome the petrochemical crisis, the existing Chemical Industry Team will be expanded and reorganized into the Chemical Industry Division. To strengthen the linkage between industry and energy in response to the separation of energy functions, the Industrial Energy Cooperation Division (an autonomous body) will be established under the Industrial Policy Bureau, and the Resource Safety Team will be created under the Resource Industry Policy Bureau to reinforce safety functions.
The ministry has also reorganized its structure to maximize policy synergy. The Regional Economic Policy Bureau and the Mid-Sized Enterprise Policy Bureau, previously under the Industrial Base Office, have been transferred to the senior Industrial Policy Office. By strengthening the connection between industrial policy and regional/mid-sized enterprise policy, the ministry plans to focus all policy resources on regional growth and revitalizing corporate dynamism.
The Industrial Base Office will be reorganized into the Industrial Growth Office. The newly established Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau will be placed under the Industrial Growth Office, and the Advanced Industry Policy Bureau will also be transferred and assigned there, supporting the AI transformation, strengthening competitiveness in advanced industries such as semiconductors, and building industrial innovation infrastructure. In particular, to eliminate regulations that hinder corporate growth on the industrial frontlines, the ministry will, for the first time, operate the Industrial Regulatory Innovation Division, which integrates previously dispersed regulatory functions (regulatory reform, regulatory sandbox, etc.).
Minister Kim Jeonggwan stated, "Based on the newly reorganized organizational capabilities, we will successfully implement key national policy tasks such as regional growth and corporate revitalization," adding, "The ministry will play a leading role so that our industries and companies can gain a competitive edge in the global arena."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
