Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim), together with Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City (Mayor Min Hyung-bae) and other partners, held the fourth regional conference on expanding manufacturing AI transformation (M.AX) on November 11, 2026. Held in Gwangju, the conference aimed to accelerate M.AX among local manufacturers and encourage their participation in key M.AX programs for 2027.

Progress of the Regional M.AX Conferences

Manufacturing AI transformation has become essential to the survival of Korean manufacturers. However, no company or institution can undertake this transformation on its own. For this reason, MOTIR launched the M.AX Alliance in September 2025, bringing together more than 1,000 manufacturers, AI companies, universities, research institutions, and other organizations in a partnership spanning industry, academia, research, and government.

The M.AX Alliance has been laying the groundwork for wider AI transformation in manufacturing, primarily through its subcommittees on AI factories, AI semiconductors, AI robots, and AI shipbuilding. It is rolling out AI factories nationwide to improve productivity by integrating AI into manufacturing processes, with 245 factories included in the rollout as of the end of October 2026. The Alliance is also accelerating the development of AI robots tailored to specific industries through initiatives such as on-site AI robot trials underway at more than 30 manufacturing sites. An analysis of 38 successful AI factory projects found gains, including a 30.1 percent increase in productivity and a 15.5 percent reduction in defect rates.

However, many regional manufacturers, including small and medium-sized enterprises and middle-market companies, struggle to determine how to prepare for AI transformation and where to begin. To address these challenges, MOTIR has held regional M.AX conferences in major cities across the country, starting with the first conference in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, on September 11, 2026. The first three conferences provided an overview of M.AX and its key policies and programs, while consultations with AI companies and specialist consultants helped manufacturers identify approaches to AI transformation suited to their individual needs. Through these conferences, MOTIR seeks to help more manufacturers across the country build on these results.

Fourth Regional M.AX Conference

Jeonnam-Gwangju, where major industries such as automobiles and shipbuilding are clustered, has both a strong need for manufacturing AI transformation and considerable potential for it. In particular, companies across the automotive value chain, from vehicle manufacturers to suppliers, are concentrated around the Gwangju High-tech Science and Industrial Complex. This concentration makes it easier for companies with similar production processes to adopt AI technologies that have proved effective at another company.

At the conference, ALPS Electric Korea and Woosung Precision each presented their experience with AI transformation and their future plans. Participants showed particular interest in ALPS Electric Korea’s project, one of the 38 successful AI factory projects reviewed. The company is using AI-powered machine vision, robot simulation, and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to automate quality inspection, painting, and material transport. “We plan to enhance our AI inspection and autonomous transport technologies and expand their use to establish an autonomous manufacturing system for automotive electronics production,” an ALPS Electric Korea representative said.

Woosung Precision is introducing AI to detect tool anomalies and analyze productivity in mold manufacturing processes that have relied on skilled workers’ experience. It is also deploying automated systems that can run unattended. “We are developing an AI factory that improves both productivity and quality by turning our manufacturing know-how into data and using it to train AI,” said Vice President Lee Jun-ho of Woosung Precision.

The conference also introduced key programs scheduled for full-scale implementation in 2027. These include developing AI solutions based on tacit manufacturing knowledge; developing full-stack AI factories; building an autonomous manufacturing ecosystem under M.AX, including workforce training and investment support; and deploying AI robots, including humanoids, in the public sector. To encourage active participation by local companies, the agencies responsible for each program explained in detail what their programs involve and how companies can take part.

The program to deploy AI robots in the public sector drew strong interest. The government plans to launch it in 2027 to create an initial market for AI robots. In its presentation, the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) explained that AI robots are essential to expanding M.AX but have yet to reach commercial readiness, partly because of limited experience and data. It noted that the public sector now has a role to play in creating an initial market.

KIRIA added that if the government becomes the first buyer of around 1,700 AI robots next year, their deployment could provide the data and experience needed to improve robot performance. KIRIA described public-sector deployment as an early investment in building Korea’s AI robotics ecosystem. The institute also outlined measures to improve the program’s effectiveness, including detailed implementation guidelines and stronger requirements to repair defects and maintain the robots to ensure more robust program operation.

After the conference, local manufacturers could consult one-on-one with AI transformation experts on site. Around 30 local manufacturers signed up. These companies recognized the need for AI transformation and wanted to assess their readiness and identify next steps. During the consultations, company representatives received an assessment of their readiness and advice on how to pursue AI transformation. Companies showing particularly strong interest were also matched, based on their industry and circumstances, with specialist AI companies that had delivered strong results in a range of M.AX projects, including AI factories.

“To accelerate the nationwide expansion of M.AX, we will help manufacturers across the regions adopt AI technologies that have proved effective in production, focusing particularly on industrial complexes where companies in similar industries are concentrated,” said Park Tae-hyun, Director General for Industrial Artificial Intelligence Policy at MOTIR. “We will continue to use the Regional M.AX Conferences and M.AX Support Centers to help local companies learn from successful examples and receive advice on adopting AI suited to their own processes.”