Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Daebul, Myeongji Noksan, and Gunsan Industrial Complex MINI Alliance Meeting

Minister JK Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) chaired a MINI Alliance meeting for the Daebul, Myeongji Noksan, and Gunsan industrial complexes in Mokpo on June 22, 2026. Participants included Cho Doo-yun, Chair of the Daebul MINI Alliance; Kang Dong-hyuk, Chair of the Busan MINI Alliance; Jang Young-jae, Chair of the Gunsan MINI Alliance; Park Min-won, Head of the Industrial Complex AX Division; and representatives from manufacturing companies, AI companies, universities, research institutes, and local governments. At the meeting, Minister Kim delivered opening remarks and discussed the Manufacturing AI Transformation (M.AX) strategy for shipbuilding and ways to strengthen cooperation among the industrial complexes. date2026-06-23

Minister Kim Visits M.AX Caravan

Minister JK Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) visited the Manufacturing AI Transformation (M.AX) Caravan in Mokpo on June 22, 2026. The caravan was held as a side event following a MINI Alliance meeting. At the site, Minister Kim reviewed cooperation between AI solution providers and manufacturing companies and listened to industry views and on-the-ground challenges. date2026-06-23

Korea and Türkiye to Hold 6th FTA Joint Committee Meeting

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that the 6th Korea–Türkiye FTA Joint Committee Meeting will be held in Ankara, Türkiye, from June 23 to 24, 2026. The meeting will be led by Lee Min-young, Acting Director General for Trade Agreement Policy at MOTIR, and Hüsnü Dilemre, Director General for International Agreements and EU Affairs at Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade. Türkiye serves as a gateway from Asia to Europe and occupies a strategic location near the Middle East and North Africa. Since the Korea–Türkiye FTA entered into force in 2013, bilateral trade has continued to grow, surpassing USD 10.0 billion for the first time in 2023 and reaching a record $10.7 billion in 2025. Korea’s exports to Türkiye increased by 99.7 percent from $4.6 billion in 2012 to $9.1 billion in 2025, while Türkiye’s exports to Korea rose by 133.3 percent from $670 million to $1.6 billion over the same period. As of December 2025, Korea’s cumulative investment in Türkiye stood at $4.6 billion across 1,176 projects, 38 times Türkiye’s investment in Korea during the same period, with manufacturing accounting for 47 percent of the total. Companies such as Hyundai Motor and POSCO have established production bases in Türkiye to serve the European market, contributing to local production, employment, and exports. Korean materials and components exported to Türkiye are also used in local manufacturing processes, helping strengthen bilateral supply chains and industrial cooperation. At the 6th Joint Committee Meeting, the two sides will review the implementation of the FTA and discuss related issues. Korea will convey concerns over the increasing number of import restrictions applied to Korean products and request that related investigations be conducted in a fair and objective manner consistent with international rules. Korea will also address difficulties faced by Korean companies in areas such as customs clearance and certification. Türkiye is expected to propose measures to help reduce its trade deficit with Korea, while the two sides will also discuss cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.   date2026-06-23

M.AX to Expand Beyond the Factory Floor and Support Company-wide Innovation

Manufacturing AI Transformation (M.AX) will use data linkage to expand AI use beyond manufacturing processes to company-wide operations, including production planning, supply chain and inventory management, and worker safety. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) held a joint launch ceremony for the Industrial AI Solution and AI Agent projects in Seoul on June 23, 2026. The event brought together approximately 100 participants, including representatives from the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), manufacturing companies, and AI companies. Background As global competition over AI intensifies, major economies are accelerating efforts to develop AI technologies and deploy them in industrial settings. In manufacturing, AI adoption can directly raise productivity and competitiveness, and AI use is expanding beyond the factory floor to broader business operations. Korea is home to world-class manufacturers and has built up extensive factory-floor data and skilled workers’ know-how. These assets are critical to maintaining and strengthening Korea’s manufacturing competitiveness in the AI era and provide the basis for rapidly deploying AI across industrial sites. Launched in September 2025 with 10 divisions and approximately 1,000 participating organizations, the M.AX Alliance added the Industrial Complex AX Division in February 2026, forming its “Best Eleven” structure with 11 divisions and approximately 1,500 member organizations. Building on this cooperation, MOTIR plans to expand AI application beyond manufacturing sites to company-wide operations. Project Overview The Industrial AI Solution Project is designed to rapidly deploy AI across industrial sites by fine-tuning AI companies’ verified models for immediate use in multiple similar manufacturing processes. Projects involving approximately 30 manufacturing companies have confirmed tangible results, including more accurate steel scrap classification and improved heat exchanger quality prediction. In 2026, the project, with a budget of KRW 12.8 billion, will support approximately 30 manufacturing companies in developing early M.AX success cases and facilitate broader adoption across the industry. While AI adoption in manufacturing has improved productivity in individual processes, some have noted that its impact on overall business competitiveness remains limited. In a February 2026 demand survey, companies said AI agents should be used not only in manufacturing processes but also in decision-making areas such as production planning, business planning, marketing, and delivery management. For manufacturers, applying AI agents accurately to their specific operations requires manufacturing process data to be closely connected with decision-making. To address this need, MOTIR will launch the new AI Agent Project, which uses manufacturing data to support company-wide operations. The project will develop and demonstrate AI agents in seven upstream and downstream areas linked to manufacturing processes, including production planning, supply chain management, safety and environmental management, and product design, to support decision-making across factory-floor and office functions. The call for proposals drew interest from more than 90 companies, and MOTIR selected 10 with strong proposals, including Sungwoo Hitech and Daeduck Electronics. With a 2026 budget of KRW 6.0 billion, MOTIR will work with the Manufacturing Services Division of the M.AX Alliance to demonstrate AI agents on-site and scale the results. Data Linkage Expanding AI use beyond manufacturing processes requires manufacturing data to be connected and used across related upstream and downstream areas. The Industrial AI Solution and AI Agent projects share a common feature: both use AI to solve a range of problems at manufacturing sites. As the projects proceed, lead organizations will date2026-06-23

M.AX to Link Shipbuilding Industrial Complexes as Key Hubs for 5+3 Regional Growth

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) held a joint meeting of the MINI Alliances from three shipbuilding industrial complexes—Daebul, Myeongji Noksan, and Gunsan—on June 22, 2026, at Hotel Hyundai in Mokpo. The meeting brought together manufacturers, AI companies, universities, research institutes, and local governments to discuss the M.AX strategy for shipbuilding and cooperation among the three complexes. Shipbuilding relies on a broad supply chain that connects large, medium-sized, and small shipbuilders with equipment suppliers and partner companies. This makes it a key industry for supporting regional growth under the Five Mega-Regions and Three Special Self-Governing Provinces (5+3) strategy. In particular, the three complexes taking part in the meeting each handle key functions of the shipbuilding supply chain, making them a strong model for creating synergy through cooperation across the 5+3 regions. The Daebul Industrial Complex is a major shipbuilding and offshore cluster where large shipyards and partner SMEs are concentrated, while the Gunsan Industrial Complex is home to marine mobility manufacturers that mainly build medium-sized and small vessels. The Myeongji Noksan Industrial Complex is Korea’s largest shipbuilding equipment cluster, with about 60 percent of the country’s shipbuilding equipment companies. The meeting was significant in that it expanded industrial complex M.AX discussions from individual complexes to the wider shipbuilding supply chain. There has been growing recognition in the field that, to accelerate the spread of industrial-complex AX, linkages among the same industry are needed beyond the boundaries of individual complexes and regions. Reflecting these voices from the field, MOTIR used the meeting to discuss concrete cooperation measures to connect the strengths of the anchor complexes for large shipbuilding, medium-sized and small shipbuilding, and shipbuilding equipment, and to spread the shipbuilding M.AX model across the supply chain. The discussions also explored ways for complex AX—built on an ecosystem clustering industry, academia, and research—to drive productivity gains and corporate growth in regional manufacturing, and ultimately to serve as a practical means of implementing the 5+3 strategy. The three MINI Alliances agreed that the complexes should move beyond separate projects and build a shared framework that uses data, knowledge, and AI models to support decisions across design, production, and quality control. During the meeting, each complex also presented its cooperation plan to link M.AX with the shipbuilding industry. Daebul proposed building common infrastructure to use manufacturing data and AI models on-site. Myeongji Noksan presented plans to develop an AI search engine tailored to shipbuilding and expand its use across design, manufacturing, and management. Gunsan outlined plans to develop AI models for design simulation and manufacturing quality control. Participants called for government support, noting that high-quality shipbuilding data and common infrastructure for collecting, transmitting, and processing data are essential to improve AI models and expand their use. After the meeting, Minister Kim also visited the M.AX Caravan to see how AI suppliers and manufacturers are working together and to hear industry views and concerns. The Caravan is an on-site program that connects manufacturers seeking AI transformation with AI solution providers. It was designed to help manufacturers overcome information gaps and technical barriers in adopting AI, and to bring AI supplier capabilities, which are still concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to regional industrial complexes. At the M.AX Caravan, 14 AI suppliers presented their solutions, and around 50 representatives from manufacturing companies attended, leading to active matching between the two sides throughout the eve date2026-06-22

Minister Kim Visits Advanced Robotics Cooperation Site

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) visited the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2026, with Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic; Roh Gun-ki, President of the Korea Electronics Technology Institute; Cho Young-hoon, President of the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement; and officials from both countries. During the visit, Minister Kim inspected the planned site for the Advanced Robotics Center and its robotics testbed, was briefed on robotics industry cooperation between Korean and Czech institutions, and toured a robotics R&D lab and technology demonstration site. Minister Kim said the center is expected to serve as a key hub for joint R&D, technology demonstrations, and personnel exchanges, and that Korea and the Czech Republic will use it to strengthen their strategic partnership in future industries. date2026-06-19

Korea–Czech Nuclear Business Partnership Event

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) attended the Korea–Czech Nuclear Business Partnership Event in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2026, with Karel Havlíček, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and government and nuclear business representatives from both countries. The event was held to discuss concrete ways to expand cooperation between companies from the two countries. During the event, Minister Kim witnessed the signing of a contract between KEPCO Engineering and Construction (KEPCO E&C) and ENERGOPROJEKT PRAHA (EGP) for design and licensing technical support. Minister Kim said the Dukovany project will serve as a foundation for more than a century of Korea–Czech cooperation, and that the two countries will build on its successful implementation to expand cooperation beyond nuclear power. date2026-06-19

Third Korea–Czech Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) attended the third Korea–Czech Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2026, with Karel Havlíček, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and government delegations from both countries. At the meeting, the two sides reviewed the status of cooperation in high-tech industries and discussed ways to expand future cooperation. Minister Kim said Korea and the Czech Republic will build on the successful implementation of the Dukovany project to expand cooperation beyond nuclear power to high-tech industries, supply chains, and other areas. date2026-06-19

Second Meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee Held

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) attended the second meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2026, with Karel Havlíček, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic; Kim Hoe-cheon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power; and government delegations from both countries. At the meeting, participants reviewed implementation progress and next steps for the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project, along with progress and plans for localization. Minister Kim said the Dukovany project will serve as a foundation for more than a century of Korea–Czech cooperation, from construction through operation, and that the two countries will build on its successful implementation to expand cooperation across nuclear power, high-tech industries, supply chains, and other areas. date2026-06-19

Korea, Czech Republic Build on Nuclear Power Cooperation to Expand High-Tech Industry Cooperation

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) visited the Czech Republic from June 17 to 18, 2026. He met with Karel Havlíček, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, to review cooperation on the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project and discuss expanding cooperation in high-tech industries. Second Meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee The two ministers held the second meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee, launched in February 2026, to review the project’s implementation progress and next steps. They confirmed that Team Korea is meeting agreed milestones, including licensing document submissions, and reviewed key risks, such as staffing for licensing documentation and heavy cargo transport plans. They also discussed ways to expand Czech companies’ participation in the project and strengthen cooperation between companies from both countries. The two sides agreed to help address implementation issues and cooperate to keep the Dukovany project on track. Third Korea–Czech Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue At the third Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue that followed, the two ministers reviewed the status of cooperation in high-tech industries and discussed ways to expand future cooperation. The two sides assessed that trust built through nuclear power cooperation is broadening bilateral cooperation into high-tech industries, and agreed to press ahead with follow-up measures under the Vltava High-Tech Industry Cooperation Vision adopted in 2024. They assessed the outcomes of bilateral and multilateral joint R&D cooperation and reviewed progress on cooperation centers and joint R&D plans in robotics, batteries, and future mobility. They also reviewed follow-up responses to key concerns raised at the March 2026 business roundtable held at Minister Havlíček’s invitation and discussed Korean companies’ plans to expand investment in the Czech Republic. Korea–Czech Nuclear Business Partnership Event The two countries also held the Korea–Czech Nuclear Business Partnership Event, marking the first anniversary of the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project contract. Minister Kim, Minister Havlíček, and other key participants welcomed the steady progress made over the past year and reaffirmed their commitment to the project’s continued implementation. During the event, KEPCO Engineering and Construction (KEPCO E&C) and ENERGOPROJEKT PRAHA (EGP) signed a contract for design and licensing technical support. Minister Kim Visits Advanced Robotics Cooperation Site Minister Kim visited the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU), where he inspected the planned site for the Advanced Robotics Center and its robotics testbed, and was briefed on robotics industry cooperation between institutions of the two countries. He said the center is expected to serve as a key hub for joint R&D, technology demonstrations, and personnel exchanges. He also noted that the robotics center is the first to advance among the robotics, battery, and future mobility cooperation centers agreed in 2025, making it a flagship project in bilateral high-tech industry cooperation. Minister Kim said, “With the Czech government pursuing a policy to extend the operating life of nuclear power plants to up to 80 years, the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project will serve as a foundation for cooperation that will continue for more than a century, from construction through operation. Building on the successful implementation of the Dukovany project, Korea and the Czech Republic will expand cooperation beyond nuclear power to high-tech industries, supply chains, and other areas.” He added, “Starting with the Advanced Robotics Center, we will move forward as planned with cooperation centers for batteries and future mobility, further strengthening our strategic partn date2026-06-19