Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Bupyeong Industrial Complex celebrates 50th anniversary

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on August 21 that Bupyeong National Industrial Complex is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.     Designated as a National Industrial Complex in 1965 according to the Export Industrial Complex Development Act, the complex located in Changcheon-dong, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon currently houses a total of 761 companies on 610,000㎡ (6.5 mil sqft) of land.     It's the largest industrial complex in Korea for electric and electronics businesses, and 54.3 percent of the entire area is currently occupied by foreign invested companies.     Last year alone, it produced goods worth 2.9 trillion ($ 2.6 billion) and exported 2.8 trillion won worth of goods. There are more than 12,000 people currently working there.     * Short version date2015-08-21

MOTIE Minister Yoon Backs LG Display's Plan to Invest in OLED

MOTIE Minister Yoon Backs LG Display's Plan to Invest in OLED   Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Yoon Sang-jick attended a press conference hosted by LG Display Co. in Paju, South Korea, yesterday.   At the presser, the minister applauded the plan by the world's biggest maker of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to increase investment in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays.   Minister Yoon also pledged the government's continued support for local companies to invest in date2015-08-19

South Korea to Hold Three-Day Special Sale Event for Chinese Online Shoppers

South Korea to Hold Three-Day Special Sale Event for Chinese Online Shoppers   South Korea plans to hold a special sale event called `XingXing Korea' for Chinese online shoppers from August 19 to August 21 as part of efforts to promote exports.   During the three-day event, 17 local online shopping malls will offer discounts of 8 to 50 percent on about 1,700 items ranging from cosmetics to groceries.   Also, the Korea Post will give a discount of 36 percent on international shippi date2015-08-18

South Korea Launches `Korea Grand Sale' for Foreign Tourists

      South Korea has launched the Korea Grand Sale for foreign tourists in an effort to revive the local tourism industry and economy hit by the recent Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) incident.   The sixth annual event is the largest ever as about 250 local companies and 30,000 stores, from airlines to duty-free shops, are offering various shopping benefits and events.   The Korea Grand Sale will run earlier than scheduled from August 14 to October 31, as it is normally held in winter, a relatively less popular season for foreign tourists.   For more information about the Korea Grand Sale, please visit its English website at date2015-08-17

South Korea Hosts 10th International Standards Olympiad

South Korea Hosts 10th International Standards Olympiad   The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) is hosting the 10th International Standards Olympiad in Seoul from August 6 to 7.   For more information about this tournament for teenage students, please visit its English website at: http://standards-olympiad.kr/eng/index.asp date2015-08-06

South Korean Scientists Develop Robot That Walks on Water

      A South Korean-led team of global scientists have developed a robot that can walk and jump on water like an insect, according to a paper published in Science magazine ().   Mimicking the natural secrets of insects like the water strider, the robot can support its weight and even leap without breaking the surface tension of water.   The researchers solved the mystery of how the so-called "Jesus bugs" support themselves on water by carefully studying their motions using high-speed cameras.   Scientists are already imagining a whole host of uses for the robot, ranging from surveilance to enviornmental monitoring to disaster relief.   To find out more about this robotics breakthrough and its possible applications, check out the report in Popular Science magazine: date2015-08-04

South Korea Opens First Paid Charging Station for Electric Cars

South Korea Opens First Paid Charging Station for Electric Cars   South Korea opened its first paid charging station for electric vehicles yesterday as the country pushes forward with its plan to develop energy-related new industries and reduce carbon emissions.   Chung Yang-ho, deputy minister for energy and resources at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), attended the opening ceremony for the new station in Jeju Island, the Hawaii of Korea.   Major local companie date2015-07-24

South Korea's Renault Samsung to Develop Super Fuel-Efficient Electric Car

South Korea's Renault Samsung to Develop Super Fuel-Efficient Electric Car   South Korea's Renault Samsung Motors Co. plans to develop an electric car within three years that can drive more than 300 km (186 miles) on a single charge.   The plan was unveiled at the 7th Private-Government Consultative Meeting on Energy-Related New Industries held in Seoul earlier this week, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) said in a statement.   Renault Samsung Motors, the local un date2015-07-23

The MOTIE's New Spokesman Debuts with First Weekly Media Briefing

      The MOTIE's newly-appointed spokesperson Sung Yun-mo made his first weekly media briefing on the ministry's key announcements and activities this week.   Prior to the new post, Sung, 52, was director-general for policy planning at the ministry, and started his public career after passing the Public Administration Examination in 1988.   His predecessor Park Won-joo was promoted to the post of the MOTIE's deputy minister for planning and coordination. date2015-07-21

The total number of female researchers at corporate research centers to surpass 46,000

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on July 13 that according to a survey by the Korea Industrial Technology Association, the total number of female researchers at corporate research centers as of June 2015 reached 46,032, which is over 2,700 more than the end of last year. At this rate, the increment is likely to reach over 4,400 by this year, exceeding that of last year.     Compared to their male counterpart, more female researchers have a master's or PhD degree, As of June this year, the number of female researchers with a master's degree has increased by 15.0 percent and those with a PhD degree has increased by 9.6 percent compared to the end of last year.     The Korean government put the MOTIE in charge of increasing the number of female researchers in various industries and the MOTIE has been making multilateral efforts to open childcare centers at industrial complexes for working moms and provide female middle school, high school and college students with an opportunity to visit the industrial sites.     The MOTIE plans to host a job forum for female researchers that have away from work and open the "Industrial R&D Academy" to support those wishing to come back to work.     * Short version date2015-07-13