At the 22nd Automotive Day commemorative event, Son Ju-hwan, CEO of Safety Industry Co., Ltd., received the Silver Tower Industrial Medal, while Park Chan-young, Vice President of Hyundai Motor, received the Bronze Tower Industrial Medal. Automotive Day was established in 2004 to commemorate the achievement of 10 million cumulative automobile exports.
The 22nd Automotive Day commemorative event, jointly hosted by the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association (KAMA Chairman Kang Nam-hoon) and the Korea Automobile Industry Cooperative (KAICA Chairman Lee Taek-sung), was held on the evening of May 14 at the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul Grand Ballroom, where a total of 14 government awards were presented.
About 250 people attended the event, including Ahn Duk-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, public figures, and automobile industry officials.
Due to contributions to the development of the automotive industry, Son Ju-hwan, CEO of Safety Industry Co., Ltd., received the Silver Tower Industrial Medal, and Park Chan-young, Vice President of Hyundai Motor, received the Bronze Tower Industrial Medal. In total, 14 government awards and 20 Ministerial commendations from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy were presented.
Son Ju-hwan, CEO of Safety Industry Co., Ltd., who received the Silver Tower Industrial Medal, contributed to achieving 100 billion won in annual exports to global automotive manufacturers by becoming the first to mass-produce hollow valves applicable to hybrid vehicles.
Park Chan-young, Vice President of Hyundai Motor, who received the Bronze Tower Industrial Medal, contributed to stabilizing the vehicle parts supply chain by developing alternative devices during the semiconductor supply crisis and leading direct procurement contracts while supporting domestic semiconductor development.
Kwon Kyo-won, Executive Director of KG Mobility, who received the Industrial Medal, contributed to expanding exports of eco-friendly vehicles by 233% over two years by pioneering emerging export markets such as Africa and the Middle East. Kim Joo-hong, Executive Director of the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association, planned "Automotive Day" to discover and award contributors to the automotive industry and help ensure that future transport modes, including electric vehicles, are included in national strategic technologies, thus contributing to the expansion of the future vehicle industry base. Jeong Yun-soo, CEO of Poongsan System, developed ultrasonic sensor cells that improve vehicle stability, helping to replace 12 million parts that were entirely dependent on imports from China with domestic products.
Kang Nam-hoon, chairman of the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association, noted during the Automotive Day commemorative speech, "This year marks the 70th anniversary of automotive production for the automotive industry," adding, "Our automobile industry has grown to become a key driver of South Korea's economic development over the past 70 years, overcoming numerous challenges and adversities. However, it now faces new challenges such as the intensification of global protectionism, the transition of industrial paradigms like electrification, and the rise of China."
He particularly emphasized that "with a high reliance on exports to the U.S., the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. is further increasing the uncertainty of the export environment," adding, "The 'emergency response measures to strengthen the automotive ecosystem' announced by the government on April 9 will be a great help in overcoming this crisis."
He added, "Our industry is facing a temporary slowdown in the electric vehicle market and the rapid pursuit of China amid a paradigm shift in the industry, which is the first in 100 years toward eco-friendly and autonomous mobility. There is a need for bold policy support such as expanding temporary subsidies for electric vehicles, increasing tax incentives for future vehicle investments, securing labor flexibility for continuous growth, and improving systems for establishing cooperative labor-management relations."
Chairman Kang Nam-hoon requested that "our industry lead the future mobility era based on accumulated technological capabilities, secure core technologies such as eco-friendly cars and autonomous driving through innovation and investment, and strengthen global competitiveness," and that the government actively support the innovation and growth of the automotive industry through regulatory relaxation, expanded investment support, and establishment of future vehicle infrastructure.
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