New President Chung Yang-ho of of the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) delivers his inaugural speech at KEIT headquarters in Daegu on March 27.

KEIT President Chung Yang-ho. (Photos: KEIT)

Former Administrator Chung Yang-ho of the Public Procurement Service (PPS) took office as the fourth president of the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) at KEIT headquarters in Daegu on March 27.

In his inaugural speech, new KEIT President Chung said, “KEIT needs to play a consultant or facilitator by going above a task manager.” KEIT will spur creative, challenging and innovative research by making its R&D system from “fast follower” support strategy to a “first mover” down the road, he said. He called for the company to fulfill social responsibilities through R&D as a public entity.

KEIT President Chung, a native of Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, graduated from Seoul National University’s Economics Department. He obtained a master’s degree in science of public administration from the same university and a doctorate in economics from Southern Illinois University.

Chung passed the 28th higher administrative examination and began his public service career at the predecessor of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) in 1985.

He has been evaluated to have an expertise insight into the whole national industry as he had positions such as director-general in charge of industry technology policy and deputy minister of energy & resources at the MOTIE and PPS administrator. The following is the gist of his inauguration speech delivered by KEIT President Chung.

KEIT has so far superbly carried out tasks such as supporting the development of technologies to lead markets as an institution specializing in R&D management in the industry sector as well as exploring and spreading of excellent R&D outcomes. The institution has devoted itself to improving management like organizational nationalization and the establishment of a corporate culture based on a cooperative partnership after it was relocated and fulfilling social responsibilities.

“KEIT, marking the 10th anniversary this year, is at a juncture when we go for a breakthrough. I now suggest a vision and missions to reshape itself into an innovative institution to spur creative and challenging R&D on top of inheriting the achievements KEIT have so far made,” Chung said.

“First, we have to fix our thoughts on KEIT’s principle functions in accordance with the government’s reorganizing of R&D-related institutions. I think that KEIT has played a part as a task manager in the industry technology sector until now. KEIT has assumed a passive role of planning, evaluating and managing tasks according to fixed guidelines. (We) now have to be a consultant or facilitator by going above that of a task manager,” he added.

“We will have to proactively communicate with task participants of each stage of technology development and preemptively solve the related problems. KEIT will spur creative, challenging and innovative research by making its R&D system from “fast follower” support strategy to a “first mover” one down the road.”