Korea Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), under the umbrella of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korean Standards Association (KSA), each hosted and organized the 47th National Quality Management Convention at COEX in Seoul on Nov. 8.
The event was held online and offline due to social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. About 90 people, including KATS Administrator Lee Sang-hoon and KSA Chairman Kang Myung-soo, participated in the event. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum delivered a commemorative video message.
The National Quality Management Convention is the nation’s largest quality promotion event designed to explore and award individuals and companies recognized for contributing to raising industry competitiveness. It does so by achieving excellent management results through quality innovation activities.
The National Quality Management Convention made its debut in 1975, and this year’s event was the 47th rendition.
Three hundred and ninety-two individuals and organizations were honored with orders and other government prizes during the event.
The Order of Industrial Merit, Silver Tower went to Joo Soo-seok, head of one of Poongsan Corp.’s plants in recognition of becoming the industry’s first company to introduce a companywide quality innovation system, thus contributing to coaling ammunition and boosting exports.
Korea Electric Power Corp. was one of organizations to be honored with the national quality grand prize. KEPCO had been recognized for his contributing to making energy paradigm shift in advance, such as the supply of world’s top-rated electricity and the “K-energy New Deal.”
General Manager Sohn Kwang-joon, with Korea Western Power, and Cho Jae-hong, a senior researcher with Kia Motors, were presented with the Industrial Service Medal.
Samsung Electronics’ foundry business received the National Quality Management Award in re cognition for securing international competitiveness in the foundry business in a short period of time through process innovation.
Eighteen companies, including POSCO Energy, were presented with the National Quality Innovation Award of each division category.
The National Quality Management Convention awards national quality maestros and excellent quality task teams to give encouragement for workers’ quality innovation achievements and boosting their moral. Sixteen national quality maestros were honored for being with the industry field for more than 10 years and making achievements through quality innovation.
“Quality task” teams with a membership of about 550,000 workers have been formed at the industry filed to volunteer for innovation.
“Excellent task” teams are honored with gold, silver and bronze medals through regional preliminary rounds and final rounds, hosted by KATS and each metropolitan government.
This year’s final round took place at Ulsan metropolitan city. A combined 288 quality task teams were honored with gold, silver and bronze medals in each of 15 categories.
KATS Administrator Lee said, “Quality innovation behind Korea’s explosive economic growth is owed to industry workers’ strenuous efforts.” Lee called for spearheading the future through new challenges of quality management, such as the internalizing of new technologies into management activities in the 4th Industrial Revolution and carbon neutrality sectors.
KATS Celebrates 60th Anniversary of National Standardization
Korea Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) held a ceremony to celebrate the 60th anniversary of national standardization at Seoul Chosun Hotel on Nov. 22.
Among about 50 people on hand at the event were Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Vice Minister Park Jin-kyu of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Vice President Han Jin-kyu of Samsung Electronics, and Prof. Ahn Sun-joo and Sungkyunkwan University.
Thirty nine individuals and organizations were honored with orders and other government awards.
The coveted Order of Industrial Merit, Bronze Tower went to Samsung Electronics Vice President Han, in recognition for reflecting Korea’s telecom technologies to international standardization while serving as a Korean representative to the standardization management board of IEC.
The event coincided with a ceremony to declare a national standardization vision, tilted "National Standardization, Green/Digital Transformation."
The government announced five action strategies, including building foundation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with carbon neutrality standardization, national standardization innovation for digital transformation, and raising the quality of people's lives through service standardization.
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